Marina Misfortune
by storyfan101
Summary: Team case fic. In which proof is required, shots are fired and shopping may or may not happen.
1. Chapter 1

With the most heartfelt thanks to JazzieG who is a wonderful beta. I can't tell you how much I appreciate her amazing patience and encouragement. She was also kind enough to insist this wasn't rubbish. She offered corrections where necessary and then I would continue to write more. So any errors are therefore my own.

The usual disclaimers apply.

**Hawaii Five-0**

**Marina Misfortune**

**Chapter 1 - Prologue**

Akino Salvator looked up to check the clouds. The warm tropical weather was holding. The squall forecast for earlier that morning still looked to be an hour or two away. If he hurried there'd be time for a quick test run. He spent the morning making repairs to the steering connections on his tour boat. It seemed his luck was finally turning. Sure, he'd suffered a few setbacks, but with the tour booked for tomorrow, he'd be able to make the final payment on his boat, the Queen Celeste.

He had bought the boat from the bank. It had been seized during some kind of a raid or another. Akino hadn't concerned himself with its past. When he signed the loan papers two years ago, he'd only thought about the future. Looking back, he supposed he should have at least requested a mechanical review. But with these latest repairs, the long list of required interventions finally seemed to come to an end.

Akino couldn't help the grin that took over. He'd already called his wife Celeste, the beautiful lady who he couldn't help but name his dreams after. They were going to have a pre-celebratory dinner at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Not the fanciest restaurant on the island, but it was Celeste's favourite and that was good enough for Akino.

The middle aged Philipino reached for his toolbox, the last item left on the dock after the repairs. A shadow fell across the battered box and another hand grasped the metal handle before Akino's fingers could curl around it. Akino looked into the dark eyes of his business rival.

"Terashima," he bit back a frustrated sigh.

Akino Salvator assumed he and Thomas Terashima were of similar age, but the Japanese man seemed to invest a great deal of time on his appearance so Akino couldn't be sure. Thomas Terashima lifted the full toolbox with ease and handed it across the two foot gap between the men. Akino wanted to curse his limbs when he almost dropped the box once Terashima let go.

"I just wanted to stop by, see if you had a chance to look over my latest offer?" Terashima smiled cordially, but Akino couldn't help but focus on the teeth and thoughts of sharks ran rampant through his head. Akino trusted this man even less than he would circling finned predators.

"I already told you - No," Akino met the other man's gaze, hoping to lose some of his fears from the teeth, but even the dark eyes instilled dread. He took a deep breath and refused to allow the intimidation to settle. "It doesn't matter how many windows you break, my answer will always be no."

Having stood his ground Akino felt some reassurance. "You already run eighty percent of the tours from this dock. What I earn is just enough for my family to be happy. Surely it can't mean anything to you?"

Even the casual shrug from Terashima carried threatening implications. "Using _your_ words, that would be _happiness_ I could be providing to my own family."

It was too much for Akino. "Go! Your threats are nothing to me. I have already logged complaints with the police. The next time a window is broken in my office you will be getting a visit from HPD." Akino pushed past the Japanese man and stormed up the dock towards his tour office.

Thomas Terashima watched his business rival walk away, his grin changing to a snarl. "Next time, my friend, it won't be just a window." Akino was already far enough away, that he never heard the threat.

Terashima headed towards his own tour office. Before he reached the main door he caught sight of Wayne Roesler unloading a delivery van. The parking lot was at the rear of the building, just off the busy street which ran along the water front, but there was a reserved spot at the side of the building for loading and unloading. It seemed the effort to carry the cumbersome boxes that distance was too much to ask of the young man. Terashima stopped to watch his young employee. Wayne grabbed one box at a time from the back of the van, and with visible contempt for his menial job, slowly shuffled the thirty steps back to the office.

"Rich kids," Terashima muttered, making himself wonder for the hundredth time why he had thought it was such a good idea to hire the next heir to the Roesler real estate empire. He was reminded when the dark haired youth exited the business office, and with shoulders slumped and shuffling feet, approached.

"My dad needs me to help clean out an office in Waikiki for a showing, so I gotta jet." Wayne lifted his eyes to quickly check for the nod of approval before turning back towards the parking lot.

Thomas Terashima would of course give his approval. Mr. Carl Roesler's real estate ventures often served as safe grounds for meetings with clients. Not the sight-seeing tour clients that made the perfect cover for the true means of Terashima's wealth, but the drug suppliers that came from both the west coast of the mainland and from Asia. Hawaii really was the perfect middle ground.

As much as Wayne Roesler was the worst employee Terashima had ever had the misfortune to hire, his father was a connection well worth the pain.

Wayne had only taken a few steps when a slow chugging sound from the marina drew both men's attention. The Queen Celeste was carefully manoeuvring through the crowded waters, heading out towards the harbour and open water.

"Where do you think he's taking the Queen now?" Wayne asked.

Terashima shrugged unconcerned, "Oh, probably just a test run."

They both watched the ship, with its empty decks, move past. The driver's head never wavered to look their way. None the less, Terashima gave a quick salute and a feral grin to his rival. Once the boat was clear of their dock space, Terashima reminded his young employee of his duty.

"You should hurry. Your father is expecting you."

The young man may suffer from his generation's apathy, but he at least recognized power. Wayne jumped at his employer's words and picked up his pace to reach his customized Honda Civic in the staff parking area.

Terashima turned back to watch the Queen make its way past the last of the docked boats and slowly pick up speed.

On the Queen Celeste, Akino listened to the steady thrum of the motor, the sound bringing contentment to his heart. He had seen Terashima standing near the dock but maintained his sights on the view ahead. The same way he was going to beat the man's pushy tactics.

Akino had reached the buoys marking the harbour entrance. Once well clear of the markers, Akino set the helm for open water. The clouds were coming in, but he wasn't worried. This was a quick trip to test the repairs. He'd be back and tied up to the dock long before the first drops fell. He pushed the lever forward with a smile and felt the boat's power as it surged ahead. Akino loved the sea and the freedom he felt while he traveled on the water. It was with these feelings of joy that Akino Salvator left this world.

The Queen Celeste exploded in a dazzling display of sound and fury. Bits and pieces of the tour boat rained down into the clear water, many still being licked by flames. A billowing black cloud rose to join the growing cloud cover blowing in.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Isn't this something you could do on your own?" Steve McGarrett sighed as he placed the clothing hanger back on the rack.

His partner, Danny Williams, had asked for a quick stop on the way in to the office. No matter how many questions Steve asked of his friend, the answer was always, "I've got something planned with Grace." It wasn't just any stop either. As Steve had commandeered the driving of the Camaro and had agreed to the side trip, he was left with no other choice than to pull in to the parking lot for 'Beach Bumz' when Danny smacked his shoulder and directed him to stop there.

Now, fifteen minutes later, he had reached his patience limit. He wasn't the type who enjoyed clothes shopping for himself – which perhaps explained Danny's continual jabs at the cargo pants and plain T-shirts – but to sit idly by while his partner palmed through the many styles and colours of board shorts, only to hem and haw at each one, was a test Steve wasn't sure their friendship was ready for.

Danny, on the other hand, didn't look the least bit worried about Steve's state of mind. Steve guessed by the other man's muttering that there was something deeper involved with the impromptu shopping trip.

"Danny," Steve tried to get the blonde man's attention, but he just stepped to the next rack of clothing options, ignoring the call of his name.

Steve tried again, a little louder, "Danny!"

At least this time his partner broke away from his musings to look at him over the line of clothes. Just as Steve was about to ask how much longer, his cell phone buzzed from his pocket. With a hopeful look of salvation, Steve pulled the phone free from one of his many pockets. He showed the device to Danny, making it obvious that he was answering the call. Danny spared him enough time to wave him away and went back to his mystical quest for the perfect pair of boarding shorts.

With a sigh, Steve answered his phone, "McGarrett … We'll be right there."

Sliding his phone back into his pocket, Steve grabbed his partner by the elbow. "That was Chin. We've got a case."

With more force than may have been absolutely necessary (but really, after being told to just stand there and look pretty amidst the bright colours and bold shapes; and his patience had lasted far longer than even he'd have given himself credit for) Steve pulled his partner from the store.

There was almost a scuffle as Danny pulled back, yelling over his shoulder to the sales clerk something about the perfect shorts on the last rack and he'd be back later. The whole while Steve kept his eyes on the target - the silver Camaro parked right outside the door. He was so focused he missed the death glare coming from his partner and the confused looks of the girl manning the till.

~H50~

The Camaro pulled in and parked behind Kono's red Cruze. Before stepping out of the car, Steve made sure to tuck his t-shirt behind his badge which was pinned to a front belt loop on his pants. He really didn't want a repeat of last week's attempt to access a crime scene. A rookie had held him back at the yellow tape line until a higher ranking officer was free to verify his badge and him as the head of 5-0. While Steve was sure that Officer Lau would never make the same mistake twice, there was still a whole class of fresh academy graduates out there and the governor's task force was still new enough that it didn't have instant recognition.

Danny, who hadn't even had to slow down, much less stop, enjoyed the situation. He took the opportunity to emphasize his own dress code, saying if Steve would only take a little time to dress like a professional he wouldn't suffer from that kind of humiliation. Steve thought he remembered Rambo being mentioned once or twice, but had zoned out by that part of the rant and he couldn't be sure.

Thinking of his partner, Steve leaned back into the open driver door to ask if Danny wanted to take the M.E. with the body or gather HPD's Intel. Before he could utter a word the passenger door closed and through the window he watched Danny head towards Max Bergman and their CSU connection, Charlie Fong. Both were standing over a spread out medical blanket on the dock.

He stood and closed the door on the now empty Camaro. Steve couldn't seem to help himself as he continued the conversation, "Sure. No problem, Danny. I'd be happy to see what HPD has."

A hand clapped Steve on the shoulder. "Who are you talking to?"

Steve turned to greet his smiling friend and teammate, "Hey Chin." Not wanting to explain, or even knowing where he would start, Steve got right down to work. "What have we got?"

Chin Ho gave a quick look to Steve and followed his gaze to their blonde co-worker. He looked as if he was going to ask a question but changed his mind as he shook his head. Instead he made a grand gesture towards the harbour behind them and got back to work.

"Boat exploded. HPD has pulled most of the wreckage from the water. There wasn't a lot left of the driver, but Max is going over what's been found." Chin pointed to where Danny was standing, leaning over the shoulder of the kneeling M.E.

"Uniforms have made the rounds. It's been established that the boat's owner, one Mr…" Chin had to double check his notes, "Akino Salvator was taking his boat out after having completed some repairs."

"Anyone know what the repairs were?" Steve asked as they started towards Sergeant Duke Lukela. Sergeant Lukela would be the senior officer on site. He was also their friend and good about sharing information.

Chin shook his head, "Not specifically, no. But Mr. Salvator was known to do most of the boat's repairs himself."

The two 5-0 members reached Officer Lukela and had to wait while he finished delegating two officers to finish taping off access to the Queen Celeste's dock space.

"McGarrett," he nodded in greeting.

"Duke," Steve smiled back. "Anything more for us?"

Duke nodded. "We've pulled a copy of a police report filed by the victim. It's barely twenty four hours old. It's why we called 5-0 in."

Chin gave Steve a doleful smile. "It seems there's been a rush on the harbour tour business. It's a possible case of the larger competitor trying to take out the little guy."

Steve's brows scrunched up with mild confusion, not that he wouldn't be happy to help out HPD, but this didn't seem like a case that screamed for the attentions of the Governor's special task force.

"Who's the competitor? Why the bum's rush into a criminal case and not a mechanical problem that got out of control?"

Duke gave a shrug of his broad shoulders as he answered, "We don't know that it is a criminal case yet, but when the original complaint goes out against the likes of Thomas Terashima, we're not about to assume anything."

Steve frowned, not recognizing the name. Chin explained, "Thomas Terashima; HPD's been following him for a while now. He's suspected of grand scale drug smuggling, but warrants on his holdings turn up nothing."

Duke nodded, not overly surprised that the Hawaiian had kept up on all the office chatter even though he had fallen out of favour.

"Well, now we can add murder suspect too," Danny added as he joined the group. He looked a little peeved that a man who was under police suspicion could continue to operate, and maybe even escalate, his dealings.

"Murder?" Steve raised a curious eyebrow. "What did Max have to say?"

"Not Max. He barely has enough to give the grieving family something to bury." Using his thumb to point over his shoulder, Danny indicated the crime scene investigator following him. "Fong found wire bits with residue and large enough pieces to make out a counter of sorts."

Steve turned to ask Charlie Fong directly, "You found evidence of a bomb?"

Fong, ever the scientist, shrugged non-committal. "We found lengths of light-weight wire not normally associated with the workings of this type of boat. There was some residue on two of the wire ends that we'll have to examine in the lab."

"Looks like plastic explosives," Danny interrupted.

"Possibly plastic explosives," Fong cautioned.

Danny shrugged his shoulders and his hands went up. Even without speaking the words, it was quite clear which outcome Danny was backing.

"There was something about a counter?" Chin asked. "You sure it wasn't a clock from the tour boat?"

At this Fong gave a distinct shake of his head, "Definitely not a clock. There were enough inner workings to determine that much. It looks like a counter of some kind. Maybe for engine revolutions or even a depth finder."

"Couldn't either of those be a normal piece of equipment on a boat?" Duke asked.

"Possibly," Fong was never one to rule out options until the evidence clearly said so. "But there were more pieces of odd wire still attached."

"So a bomb," Danny's hands came together to emphasize his conclusion.

Steve fought back the grin that tugged at the corners of his mouth. Even Chin dipped his head to hide his amusement at his teammate's determination. Duke, however, wasn't so shy.

"We miss you at HPD." He slapped Danny on the shoulder and gave a friendly squeeze.

"I'll let you know what I find," Fong excused himself and made his way back to the evidence gathering area. From there he'd be able to ensure its safe collection and transport to the lab.

Kono Kalakaua made her way over from where she had been taking statements from bystanders. Happy to have something else to focus on rather than his partner's squinted glare, Steve nodded for Kono to give her report.

"The Queen Celeste was the sole tour boat operating from Akino Salvator's Hawaiian Harbour Tours. The business was operated by none other than Akino Salvator and his wife Celeste."

"Not a very creative guy, was he?" Duke asked.

Steve thought the question to be rhetorical, but obviously Danny didn't. "Oh, I don't know. It makes things very clear about what business he's offering, and I suspect his wife didn't complain too much if her husband was to spend most of his time with a water conveyance that he named after her."

"Water conveyance?" Steve shook his head. "It was a boat, Danny."

"Boat, ship, sloop, Chinese junk – call it what you will," Danny's hands moved in time with his list.

Steve frowned in consternation and interrupted his partner's rant, "Each one of those is, or refers to, a distinct vessel type." He knew Danny did this to him on purpose; teasing his knowledge on everything water related. Dammit if it didn't work each time. Danny smiled, and Steve could tell the man knew it too.

"Know what they all have in common, Steven?"

Of course Steve knew. He could define and list dimensions and crew requirements for each. Not that any of that information would appease Danny and his questions. Danny looked relaxed with his arms crossed as he leaned against one of the many posts along the edge of the dock, waiting for Steve to carry on his half of this ridiculous conversation.

With a resigned sigh, Steve asked, "Do you want the list alphabetically or can I just recite them based on my whimsy?"

Danny shook his head, his hands coming free in exasperation. "The fact that you could manage such a list should frighten me, and yet I'm not surprised." Danny's smirk returned. "But it's not needed for the point I'm trying to make."

Steve rolled his eyes and Chin smiled, revealing some sick part of his soul that really seemed to enjoy this.

"By all means, Danny," Steve couldn't help but allow another sigh. "Please make a point. Don't let the fact there's a dead body lying on the docks distract you."

Not looking the least bit distracted – smug perhaps– Danny smiled. "Each one of those distinct vessel types conveys people from point A to point B by crossing bodies of water." It was definitely smug. "Therefore they are water conveyances."

Steve threw his hands up in defeat. "I thought ergo was your word?"

"Like Reader's Digest, I'm trying to broaden your vocabulary."

"Can you broaden your work experience to include this case?" Steve's arms crossed, not that Danny would be intimidated.

Danny's hands pointed to his own chest and his face looked deceivingly innocent. "Me? I'm just waiting for direction from my fearless leader."

When he was little Steve's mother had instilled in him the knowledge that it was wrong to hit people out of frustration. Then again, she never had the pleasure of meeting one Detective Danny Williams. Steve felt his eye twitch as he silently counted to five as he ignored his partner's grin.

Kono gratefully stepped away from the group to check her phone which had just chirped from an incoming message. "HPD just sent the address for the Salvators. You want us to go talk with the widow?" She looked up to see her boss' response.

All kidding now cast aside, Steve nodded. "You and Chin see if she has anything more to add to that police report. Danny and I will go see what Thomas Terashima has to say."

~TBC~


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Kono parked on the street in front of the modest Hawaiian home. On the drive over, the gathering grey clouds had finally blown in and the rain was now falling heavily. Her hand subconsciously rubbed the dry seat as she judged the distance to the front door.

Peering through the windshield to the sky above, she commented, "I don't think it's slowing down yet."

"We aren't going to get any answers from here," Chin reached for the door handle.

With a deep breath of resolve, Kono found herself on her cousin's heels as they made a quick dash down the front walk of the little bungalow. From under cover of the roof overhang, she looked back down the walk to admire the colourful blooms lining the path. The bent flower heads seemed to be waving at her through the rain. She felt her heart tighten at the prospect of bringing despair to such a cheery home.

Chin was watching her and asked, "You ready?"

At her nod, he reached towards the doorbell. The door opened before his fingers connected. A kindly Asian woman smiled at them.

"Hello. May I help you?"

"Mrs. Salvator?" Chin asked. At her curious nod, Chin introduced himself and Kono. "May we come in? We need to speak with you."

Her smile changed to a look of apprehension as she opened the door and stepped to the side to allow them entry. The two Five-O officers stepped in to a well lit living room.

"Can I get you anything to drink; coffee or tea?" Mrs. Salvator asked as she gestured for the officers to sit in comfortable chairs.

"No, thank you," Kono smiled tentatively as she sat. She really hated this part of her job and looked to Chin for support. Chin patted her shoulder and Kono sighed gratefully as her cousin went to Mrs. Salvator's side. Taking the older woman's hand, Chin helped her into the chair she had indicated for him to take.

Kono could now see worry and fear set on Mrs Salvator's face as Chin began to explain their presence. "I'm sorry to have to tell you, but there was an accident at the harbour."

Tears sprung from Mrs. Salvator's kind eyes, as she shook her head in denial at the news. Chin gripped her hand a little harder. Kono could almost see some of her cousin's calm pass through their connection to the woman who still needed to hear more. By the time Chin mentioned the explosion at the harbour, Mrs. Salvator had started sobbing. When Chin admitted to no survivors the older woman was a crumbling mess, clutching Chin's shoulders as her tears soaked the front of his shirt. Chin held Mrs. Salvator until her sobs became hiccups and she was able to sit up on her own.

Kono reached out for Mrs. Salvator's hand. "Is there anyone we can call for you?"

"My sister, Margaret, lives in Waikiki. Her number is in my address book in the kitchen," Mrs. Salvator was able to offer a ghost of a smile in gratitude for Kono's kindness.

Kono rubbed Mrs. Salvator's shoulder before she headed to the room at the back of the house. She found the address book in the drawer under the portable phone base. After looking up the number and dialing, she stood in the doorway to watch her cousin with the older woman, glad to be just the back-up on this mission.

"I know this is all a shock," Chin said kindly, "but if you're able to answer some questions it would help us to figure out what happened."

Mrs. Salvator took a deep breath before she nodded permission for Chin to proceed.

"Do you know what your husband was doing on the docks today? According to the schedule on the office door, there weren't any tours going out today."

"The steering was off. It was the final repairs. Akino called not long ago," Mrs. Salvator paused to check the clock on the mantle, as if to confirm she was still living in the same day. More tears flowed as she continued. "We were going out to dinner to celebrate."

Chin squeezed the hand he was holding and gave the new widow the necessary time to compose herself before asking, "Is there anyone you can think of who may have wanted to hurt your husband?"

The question caught Mrs. Salvator by such surprise she forgot she was crying. "No one would hurt Akino. He was friendly with everyone on the dock."

Chin only nodded before asking another question. "Can you tell me about the police report and the vandalism?"

"You think someone went from breaking windows and spraying paint to killing my husband?" Mrs. Salvator didn't seem able to comprehend the idea.

"We don't know," Chin admitted. "But we want to check out every possibility."

The acknowledgement seemed to appease the Asian woman. "Two days ago, when I came by with lunch for my husband, there were men replacing the windows; and last week he had to power wash graffiti off the office walls." Now Mrs. Salvator looked a little confused. "But Akino said it was just kids. He called the police, but said I shouldn't worry."

Kono, after saying good-bye to the woman on the phone, quietly returned to her cousin's side. She guessed from the conversation that Mr. Salvator had been protecting his wife from the troubles at the office, but they needed more information. "Did you have any concerns with the other tour business on your dock?"

"Aloha Catamaran Tours?" Mrs. Salvator frowned. "For the first year and a half, everything was fine. Then about six months ago Akino comes home complaining that Thomas Terashima is being too pushy and he is worried."

"Six months ago?" Chin asked. "Did your husband ever say what Mr. Terashima was being pushy about?"

Mrs. Salvator thought a moment. "No. Things got a little worse this past month. He would come home upset and tense, but I thought it was because of the vandalism from the kids. This week Akino said everything is under control; the police will put a stop to the problems." Mrs Salvator lifted red rimmed eyes to meet Chin's sympathetic gaze. "And today you tell me my Akino is gone."

Kono wished there were magic words that could help put a loved one's torment to rest, but she knew no such words existed. "Your sister said she would be here soon."

Mrs. Salvator nodded that she had heard, but the tears had started falling again.

Chin placed a business card on the end table by the grieving widow's chair. "Please call us if anything else comes to mind. We will do everything possible to find out why this happened."

The cousins quietly let themselves out. The rain was still falling, but neither of them rushed to the vehicle. Kono was still a rookie but she knew that if she was going to be a cop, and she had plans on being a good one, she couldn't afford to allow her heart to break with every crime scene and family notification. She would acknowledge the unfairness of it all, but then turn the heartache to determination to see the case through. She'd put the people responsible for the crime behind bars where they belonged. So side by side, she and Chin allowed the raindrops to fall and roll down their faces in place of tears that wouldn't be shed.

~H50~

Steve and Danny were in the Camaro, on their way to Thomas Terashima's residence. They had looked for him at his tour office but Raina Leilani, the sole employee working behind the counter, was reluctant to share information on her boss. After flashing their badges and hinting at a trip to police headquarters she became helpful and provided Terashima's home address.

"So are you going to tell me what our little shopping trip this morning was about?" Steve asked.

Steve felt completely ignored as Danny turned to watch the scenery going by his window.

"Danny!" Steve raised his voice to get his partner's attention.

Steve had to fight his grin as Danny looked like it was painful to have to tear his eyes away from the greenery flashing by; as if he would loathe to miss any award winning views. Steve wasn't taken in. Danny's favourite hobby was complaining about everything Hawaiian.

"Hmm?" Danny was sticking to his charade.

"Really Danny?" Steve wondered how far his partner was planning on taking this. As Danny only raised an eyebrow, Steve assumed he was willing to take it at least a little further. "Shopping this morning? Wanna tell me what's going on?"

Danny waved one hand dismissively. "I told you I needed…"

"Something for an outing with Grace. Yeah I know." Steve could hear the frustration in his own voice. Danny only smiled.

Rather than choke his partner into submission, Steve took a deep breath. "It's just a birthday party at a pool, isn't it?"

"Yes, Steven. You agreed to hold off with blowing up any buildings and providing near death experiences to Hawaii's low life while I have the afternoon off and everything."

Steve nodded his head. He remembered that 'discussion', but still hadn't figured out the near panic attack that was this morning.

"So why'd you drag me on that little outing earlier today?" Steve turned slightly so he could better see any reaction. Danny's answers were rarely in his words. Lord knows that man had so many words Webster's dictionary was jealous; but if you watched his eyes, you would find what you really needed to know.

Danny shuffled about in his seat.

"You okay there?" Steve couldn't help the teasing.

"No." Danny was adamant. "I am not okay, Steven." His hands joined in the conversation. "I hadn't realized that asking a friend for help would lead to the Spanish Inquisition."

"Ahh," Steve grinned. "You admit I'm your best friend!"

Danny groaned and covered his face with his hands as he leaned back into his seat. "Your SEAL ears must be full of water from that morning excursion you call a swim." Danny straightened up a little and turned to face Steve, making sure there were no barriers between his words and Steve's ears.

"I said I asked a friend. I never specified how many were on my list before I reached your name and I most certainly never, NEVER used the word _best_!"

Steve's grin grew. "You love me and you know it."

"Only when I don't hate you," Danny growled. "Guess how I feel about you right this moment?" Danny's glare could freeze water, but Steve felt like laughing.

"You're so crazy about me you wanted my opinion on new swim trunks."

Danny was shaking his head, his hands waving in the air. "Your opinion? God no! I'd end up in camo board shorts. Definitely not cool."

Steve almost felt hurt. "So why drag me through the hell of this morning?"

"I'm on a tight schedule."

"Schedule? What schedule? What are you talking about?"

"Kono," Danny sighed.

Steve was so confused. "I thought it was for Grace?"

"Of course it is. Haven't you been listening to me at all?" Danny's hands combed through his hair.

"I've been trying, Danny, I swear. But you're not making it easy." Steve rubbed his forehead with his finger tips. "What does Kono have to do with Grace attending a friend's birthday party?"

"Everything!" The way Danny was looking at him, Steve almost put a hand to his own shoulder to feel if a second head had started to bloom. "The pool has a rule about adult to kid ratio. I'm just a number in an equation for approval. Kono's the crazy lady who promised my loving daughter I'd look cool enough to not embarrass Grace in front of all of her friends. I think her whole class has been invited to this shindig! Who does that? These parents are insane."

Now Steve was starting to understand. "So you need to find some decent threads for the pool. What's wrong with what you've already got? Is it so bad there's pointing and laughing?"

"Hardly," Danny pinched the bridge of his nose. "Just because I haven't been the cause for the fashion police to make an appearance doesn't mean that Grace is willing to trust the opinion of some of the larger bikini clad tourists."

Steve could agree with that, but still he doubted there was anything wrong with his friend's current beach wear. "Well, the party isn't until next week so you've got time."

Danny was shaking his head again. "Kono's offered to help, called it 'girl bonding'." He squirmed in his seat. "I know I'm not up on all of the current fashions, but I think they've gone too far."

Steve lifted an eyebrow, questioning Danny's sanity.

"Pink, Steven!" Danny's hands began conducting a symphony. "They mentioned the color pink! I would do anything for my little girl, but if I don't find the perfect trunks before Kono goes shopping, when next Friday comes I'll be calling the parents and saying I'm sick."

Steve worried that tears might start rolling down his cheeks, he was laughing so hard.

"Not funny," Danny snorted.

Steve was thoroughly enjoying the mental image at his friend's expense when his attention to the road was harshly brought back into focus with his partner's shouted warning. A large delivery truck cut into their lane, its back bumper in line with the front of the Camaro. Thankfully Danny's car had good brakes and Steve had even better reflexes. The bumpers never met and both vehicles continued on their way.

By the time they pulled up in front of Terashima's house Steve was down to the occasional mirth induced sniffle.

"I haven't laughed that hard in a long time," Steve said as both car doors closed. "I might have to ask to use the bathroom."

Danny scowled, "I'm good. I went back on the highway when you almost rammed that truck."

Steve smacked his friend's shoulder as they approached the main doors covered by the column supported balcony. Both became serious as Danny's knuckles rapped on the door.

"I hope he's home," Steve looked up at the thickening clouds. "I don't want to have to spend the afternoon running around in the rain."

Danny looked his partner up and down. "You afraid your hair might get wet? 'Cause you can't be worried about those clothes."

Steve grinned but didn't comment as the door opened.

~TBC~


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N - Thank you to everyone for reading. In case I missed replying to any of the lovely reviews, your comments are greatly appreciated and I thank you for your time. **

**Chapter 4**

Danny waited as the oversized door slowly moved. A grey haired Samoan woman bent over with age stepped into the opening.

"Yes?" the voice was raspy but the tone polite. The woman's eyes never lifted from watching their shoes.

"Hello," Danny said warmly, wanting nothing more in that moment than to get the servant to meet his gaze. Whether she was well trained by work ethic or by the trials of life, the results were the same. Danny would never be able to describe more than the part in her hair.

Steve sighed at the frown on his partner's face and knew that Danny had added another crime to Terashima's list.

"We'd like to see Mr. Terashima." Steve pulled his badge and handed it to the woman, knowing her view didn't extend above his knees and she'd never see it sitting on his belt loop. "Is he home?"

A wrinkled hand stretched out to return the badge as the woman nodded, somehow seeming to get even closer to the ground. "I will call him. Please wait here." She gestured to the wide open space of the foyer. After quietly closing the door behind them she shuffled further into the house to track down its owner.

Rather than look about the bright and tastefully decorated entrance, Danny's face took on a dark scowl. "Did you see that?"

Steve was unable to comment before Danny continued.

"She can only tell how bad it's raining by the size of the puddles. How can someone treat a person - have them in their employ! - and allow _that_ to happen?" Danny's hands were aimed in the direction the old woman had gone.

Steve put a calming hand on his partner's shoulder. "You can't rescue everybody."

Danny made a disgruntled snort, "If she were a puppy I'd be allowed to take her to a shelter, find her a better home."

"She's not a puppy, Danno," Steve said quietly.

Both men became still as they heard approaching footsteps. Thomas Terashima was a well dressed Japanese man of late middle age. He smiled when he greeted his guests, but neither of the visiting 5-0 officers felt welcomed.

"How can I help you, gentlemen?"

"What can you tell us about the explosion near your dock this morning?" Danny cut to the chase, not in the mood to fake pleasantries.

Terashima's eyebrows rose at the directness, but after a moment seemed to decide that he could respond in the same manner. "Akino Salvator wasn't a trained mechanic. Obviously whatever he did to his boat caused it to …" Terashima's hands came together and his fingers motioned a mushroom cloud.

Danny looked ready to leap at the smiling Oriental man. Steve took over the questioning. "So you have no idea as to the cause of the explosion?"

Terashima smiled benignly and shook his head.

Steve continued, "Mr. Salvator was having some problems with his windows. Did you notice anyone suspicious hanging around your dock? Any problems with vandalism on your property?"

Terashima's smile remained as he paused to think over his answer. He was about to respond when Danny interrupted, "Oh, you remember," Danny's hand flicked his partner's shoulder, "Mr. Terashima here was listed as a possible source for the vandalism in Mr. Salvator's police report."

Terashima's mouth closed and formed a deep frown. "Are you accusing me of something?"

Steve gave a slight shake of his head, "We're just here to ask some questions. We're looking into the sudden death of Mr. Salvator."

A feral grin broke out on Terashima's face. He had been through enough police interrogations to know if there was any real evidence they wouldn't be questioning him in his own home. "I'm sure Akino's loss will be felt throughout the docks, but business will still go on."

"You mean your tour business?" Danny asked. "Or maybe the business you run on the side?"

"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about, officer..." Terashima's eyes narrowed as he met Danny's gaze.

"Oh that's right, we never did introduce ourselves," Danny smiled, his grin matching Terashima's. "I'm Detective Danny Williams and this is my partner Commander Steve McGarrett. We're with 5-0, the Governor's new task force. Perhaps you've heard of it?"

Terashima's features became more wary; his eyes scanning over the men before him. Danny's smile grew. Considering the short time their taskforce had been together, they already had an impressive reputation, mostly due to the crazy antics of his very un-policeman-like, Navy SEAL partner. (Not even under the pressure of torture, would Danny ever admit to enjoying this benefit.)

"If I think of anything that will help the Governor's taskforce with this situation, I'll be sure to call." Terashima stepped past them and opened the door. "Please pass on my condolences to Mrs. Salvator."

Danny pulled out a business card and stuck it in Terashima's shirt pocket. "So you don't have to look up the number." He patted the pocket as he headed through the open door.

Steve barely cleared the doorway when the door snicked shut behind him. "I see you're making friends and influencing people again."

"You knew we weren't going to get anything," Danny sighed.

Steve shrugged, "That may be, but you didn't help."

It was Danny's turn to shrug. "I must be hanging around you too much. At least the building is still standing and we aren't waiting on the coroner to arrive."

Steve let out a small laugh. He knew to be grateful that after meeting Terashima's hired help, some level of professionalism was maintained. He slapped his partner's shoulder. Their taskforce was still relatively new, but they were fast coming to some sort of understanding of each other.

The rain had started while they were inside. The car was parked just around the curve of the circular drive, maybe 100 meters away. The top of the stairs was covered from the elements, but there was no way they could make it to the vehicle without getting soaked.

"You've got longer legs," Danny's eyes roved up and down his partner. "You could get to the car in what, five steps? I'll wait here while you back it up to the stairs." Danny looked expectantly at his partner.

One of Steve's brows went up. "You are aware that's not going to happen, right princess?"

Danny's hands went up, "Of course not! That would require a certain level of thoughtfulness on your part; stemming from some basis of manners."

"I've got great manners," Steve pulled the shorter man into the downpour; Danny not the least bit surprised by the move. Together they made a mad dash for the car. Even with the height disadvantage, Danny's door closed at the same time as his long-legged partner.

"As a matter of fact," Steve twisted in the driver's seat to smile at Danny as he turned the ignition key. "To show you how thoughtful I can be, I'll meet you at the pool for the birthday party. You'll be busy helping the kids, so I'll make sure to get lots of pictures of you and your daughter together."

Danny glared. "You will not! Do you hear me? I'll post a police guard at the entrance. No SEALs allowed." His arms flashed back and forth in the space between the two men.

Steve drove towards the quiet residential road. He paused long enough to check for traffic before turning left. "Don't worry Danny." Steve's smile did not calm the simmering man's concerns. "I'll make sure to get just the right angle to show off those shiny new trunks you'll have."

"You're not invited. You can't come. I'll shoot you myself," Danny threatened.

Steve smiled, "I think Kono's on to something. Pink could really be your colour."

Danny hid behind his hands as he leaned back into his seat. "I'll save everyone the hassle and shoot myself instead."

~H50~

Now back together in their HQ, the four members of the 5-0 taskforce gathered around the Smart table comparing notes.

Chin was going over a copy of Akino's will. "Mrs. Salvator is the sole beneficiary, and the insurance policy is one you'd expect any married couple to have. The claim isn't really substantial, and having met Mrs. Salvator, I believe her to be the grieving widow she appears to be."

Kono nodded, she was in complete agreement with her cousin.

"Thomas Terashima does seem the likely one responsible," Steve said.

"Likely?" Danny rounded on his partner. "How about he is the only one with motive and means? You've seen the financials and both Kono and Chin back up the wife. Blowing up someone's boat just doesn't seem like a random thing. _Someone _wanted _something _and there's only Terashima left standing."

Steve nodded, "I get that, Danny. But this was sloppy. Terashima is a smart man, and this was a dumb move."

"Dumb?" Kono looked confused. "I'd say it was a bold move. The bomb destroyed the boat and most of the evidence."

"That's right, Kono," Steve was pacing, keeping up with his racing thoughts. "_**Most**_ of the evidence. Terashima would have made sure there was no evidence for us to find. He's been staying ahead of the police for years. He wouldn't start getting sloppy now."

"He's laughing at us," Danny fumed. "He knows we found bits and pieces of the bomb, just not enough to determine a signature. We know Salvator was murdered but have nothing to prove who did it."

"Fong is still looking at the device. He said there was the possibility of prints on interior pieces if he could pull apart enough of the outer workings where heat melted the plastic," Chin said, always the voice of hope and reason.

"I'm just happy there was enough trace of the plastic explosive to determine what it was," Danny still felt the relief of hearing that bit of news from Fong. "Otherwise we wouldn't even have enough reason to continue with the case."

Chin turned from the unchanging, lack of information on the computer table to smile at Steve. "You know, what we need is a reliable informant with their finger on the pulse of criminal activity."

Steve's confused look was brief, before he had a smile matching Chin's, "Kamekona." The two men were nodding their agreement on the next move.

Danny was not in agreement. "Every time we go see the big guy, I come back with an empty wallet and funny stains on my tie." With a deep sigh, he recognized a lost cause and started toward the exit.

Steve moved to keep step with his partner. He tapped lightly on Danny's chest, leading the blonde man's eyes to focus on his current neck wear. "It's a sign from the gods, buddy. This…" Steve flicked the offending cloth and earned a heated glare from the man wearing the belittled item, "is not meant to be worn in Hawaii."

Danny pushed his partner's hand away as he held open the door for the dark haired man to go through first. "Keep your hands to yourself, Steven. You're not in preschool anymore." Danny straightened his tie before heading after his partner. "At some point in time, you're going to have to acknowledge that professional attire never has, and never will, include cargo pants and T-shirts."

If there was more to the conversation, Chin and Kono couldn't hear it as the door closed and sealed out the voices of their teammates.

~H50~

It hadn't been long since the rain had stopped, and Danny watched as a small group of tourists walked back toward the beach, each holding a large dish of shave ice. Crazy tourists.

Kamekona spotted the two 5-0 men and his grin made Danny cringe as he stopped a few feet short of the order window causing Steve to bump into him.

"What's up?" Steve asked laying a hand on Danny's shoulder.

"I am not paying any amount of money for the flavour of the day."

Steve couldn't help the quick laugh that escaped. "What's the big deal?" Steve squinted past the glare from the glass to find a small notice taped to the window. It announced the flavour of concern to be a vanilla-pineapple mix.

"Come on, Danny, time to share in some of the adventures of the Islands." Steve gave a little push, but the shorter blonde pushed back just as hard.

Steve sighed admitting, "OK, so it won't be my favourite either, but if it gets us the information we need, you'll be asking for seconds."

"Fine," Danny growled as he started forward, "But you'll be the one eating the damn thing!"

Kamekona was waiting at the open window, "Howzit bruddahs? You trawling for some sweet goodness on this fine afternoon?"

Steve leaned close to the open window. "We're after something, but it certainly isn't sweet and there's nothing good about it."

Kamekona's smile dimmed, "Your business sounds serious."

Steve nodded in agreement. Danny only sighed as he crossed his arms and leaned back against the wall. He waited for the requirements to be laid out on the negotiating table.

"I've got some serious business too," Kamekona voice dropped conspiratorially.

Resigned, Steve sighed, "What do you need, Kamekona?"

"I got a new flavour that I could use some market analysis on."

From the sidelines, Danny piped up, "If it's got pineapple, I'm telling you right now it's a bad idea. This island has more than its fair share of fruit flavours."

Kamekona pushed a shaved ice cup through the window and into Steve's hand. "You're lucky, little Haole, no pineapple. I'm introducing chocolate strawberry."

Danny turned to make a sour face at the large entrepreneur. "Shave Ice with chocolate? You serious?"

A second shave ice cup was pushed through the window.

"I'm always serious about shave ice."

Kamekona continued to look very serious too. Danny sighed as he accepted the treat. "How much?" he asked.

The smile returned to Kamekona's round face. "Depends. What are you fine officers chasing after?"

"Whatever you can tell us about Thomas Terashima and his business," Steve grabbed a plastic spoon and began poking at his frozen treat.

"Thomas Terashima runs tours down at the harbour," the large man answered.

"His _other_ business," Steve's aneurism face loomed through the window

"Ahhh," Kamekona nodded, "That will take a couple of phone calls to get current data."

"Thanks, big man," Danny stepped back, leaving the unwanted ice treat sitting on the counter.

"Unh," Kamekona's hand popped out the window. "You still have to pay for your shave ice. Fifty bucks, Haole."

"Fifty bucks for frozen chocolate?"

At the stern nod from the large Hawaiian, Danny complained, "Just so we're clear, I'm not going to pass out any more funds when you get back to us."

Kamekona only grinned as several bills were handed over. "You're paying for quality shave ice."

Danny turned to head back to the Camaro, muttering, "Quality shave ice? It's frozen chocolate with strawberry bits."

Steve was on Danny's heels laughing quietly. "And you paid fifty bucks for the privilege."

"Actually, Steven," Danny held up a thin, leather bill-fold before tossing it over his shoulder in his partner's direction. "_You_ paid fifty bucks. You've got so many damn pockets in those pants you should keep a better eye on all of them."

Steve paused, looking incredulously between his wallet which he'd caught one handed, and his quick fingered partner. "You grabbed this when you bumped me."

Danny snickered, "You should be more careful."

"I'm gonna call the cops," Steve threatened. When Danny continued to snicker, Steve added, "An honest cop!" With no real anger he shoved his wallet back into a deep pocket, muttering, "From now on, I'm leaving it at home."

~TBC~


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Steve cast an admiring eye to the palette of Mother Nature. Hawaii was one of the few places where he could look at the colors of the setting sun and admire them for their beauty and feel peaceful. In the vast majority of the countries he'd logged time in, sunset was looked upon as a timing factor - long shadows of oncoming darkness where well trained men in black clothing hid in preparation for the start of another government mission. But this was Hawaii and soon the sun would be gone and this stakeout would be well on its way and Steve was grateful he didn't have to break out the grease paint.

In the passenger seat beside him, Danny sighed. "You know in Jersey I could enjoy my dinner out on my back deck in full sunshine. It was still bright enough to follow up with a walk through the neighbourhood and when I got home, I could water the petunias and clean up the yard of all Grace's toys." Danny leaned to the side, elbow balanced on the window frame, as he rubbed at his eyes.

Steve had to ask, "You okay over there?"

"I'm just tired of conducting night maneuvers when the clock says the day is only half done. Why can't these bad guys meet in a quaint little coffee shop at two in the afternoon?"

Steve's eyes squinted, evaluating his partner's mood. "Are you in need of some caffeine or just pondering the obvious?"

"Shut up and drive." Danny grumbled as Steve grinned.

An hour earlier Kamekona had called to relay his information. The word being passed around was Terashima had a scheduled meeting with some new partners; partners that had an interest in the water lanes that, up until recently, had been traversed by Akino Salvator's Hawaiian Harbour Tours.

Kamekona's connections couldn't pin down a time but seemed confident that the meeting was happening tonight … probably … at the very latest tomorrow. But definitely at Terashima's harbour tour office.

Steve had made a quick stop on the way to pick up Danny. They had left the office only a short time ago and Steve knew his partner would whine about missing his dinner…again. He made sure to order the sloppiest burger he could find on the fast food menu. Adding in a Coke and large fries, he was sure he could prevent a long winded rant about how the normal person's work day ended at five. So upon the opening of Danny's apartment door he gleefully handed over the grease-stained paper bag. Steve managed to grab the Camaro keys before they hit him on the side of his head and had to scoot out of the doorway as it was locked behind him. On the way to the parking lot Steve silently groaned as Danny began a very vocal description of the four basic food groups and how grease and animal fats weren't among them.

Steve detoured to the trunk before settling in the driver's seat and passing the protective vest to his partner beside him. "Why are you mad at me?" He was resigned, but curious to his lot in life. "I thought you lived on take-out."

Danny gratefully accepted the bullet resistant layer. It wasn't the heavy ceramic lined vest, but as this was only a fact finding mission it passed Danny's safety requirements. Danny squirmed in his seat until he had the vest and his button up shirt back on. Taking a quick bite between fastening buttons, his reply was mumbled incoherently around a mouthful of grease and animal fat.

Steve didn't understand a single word, but the tone was clear. He sighed as he turned back to watch the road, missing the smile from behind the half eaten hamburger.

They were two minutes out from the docks when Danny finished eating. Both the napkin and the grease coated wax paper were crumpled up and shoved back into the take-out bag. Steve found himself pushed over towards the driver's door as Danny leaned around the side of his bucket seat and hid the garbage on the floor of the back seat.

Steve pushed Danny back into his own seat as he looked for Kono's red car and a parking spot. He barely managed to hear the low mumblings of his partner.

"Thanks for dinner."

"Wait. What was that?"

"There's Kono and Chin." Danny pointed, directing Steve's gaze to the Cruze parked across the street and the other half of Five-0 sitting on a wooden bench along the boardwalk. Danny's finger changed angles, "And a parking spot just up there."

"Got it." Steve signalled and pulled into the empty parking spot. "What were you saying?"

"What?" Danny raised an eyebrow, "When?"

"When?" Steve's eyes closed in effort to contain his exasperation. "Just before we parked. You were half way in the backseat, your ass up here - And you're the one always going on at me about safe driving rules." Steve turned to watch his partner as he waited for an explanation.

"Say ass again."

"What are you, twelve?" Steve felt a headache coming on.

Danny smirked as he stepped from the car.

Steve took a moment, leaning back in the driver's seat. With a hand rubbing his eyes he laughed at his partner. A moment later he was out of the car and catching up to the blond man.

Chin smiled as they approached, "You look happy to be on stakeout."

"Happy?" Danny's hands flew to his chest. "Oh no, my friend. What I have is a bolstered blood pressure so that when the bullets start flying I should, at least, last long enough until the EMT's are able to take over."

"He means I fed him and he has nothing else to gripe over." Steve explained.

"Nothing?" Danny turned and his finger poked into Steve's shoulder. "Have you called HPD for back up? Does anyone other than Kamekona even know we're here?"

"We've got Chin and Kono," Steve pointed to the two smiling locals. "We're good."

"We are many things, Steven. 'Good' is not likely to be one of them." Danny retorted.

Kono frowned, "I take offense to that. My mother always says I'm good."

"I wouldn't take on Kono's mom, Brah," Chin took up the teasing. "She'll take you down."

"Fine," Danny's hands went up in surrender. "I could use the change in luck. I'll partner up with Kono."

Chin stood up from the bench and held out a helping hand to his cousin. "Sorry man. She's family, and blood always comes first."

Kono popped up from the bench and tossed a saucy wave over her shoulder as she and Chin headed toward the dock and Terashima's tour office.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?" Steve yelled.

Chin and Kono paused to grin at each other before Chin answered, "Terashima knows both of your faces. Kono and I are taking the front; you two get the back door this time."

With mild disbelief Steve watched the Hawaiian half of the team take _his_ usual position. Apparently a staff meeting was needed. It would focus on insubordination and the hierarchy of the 5-0 taskforce. With a bemused smile, he wondered how he could talk Chin into entering that into everyone's electronic calendars.

"Well Sundance, it looks like it's you and me again." Steve tossed a hand to his partner's shoulder.

"You know they died at the end of that movie, right?" Danny glared at the offending appendage before starting down the boardwalk, leaving Steve's hand to fall back to his side.

Steve looked up to the darkened sky, silently asking 'why me?' He hurried to catch up with his partner, "I associate you with the likes of Robert Redford and all you focus on is the last two minutes of the movie."

Danny only glared in reply as they continued on to the tour office. They could see Chin and Kono settling on a bench all of twenty paces down from the main entrance to Terashima's building. Amusing ways of bringing the term 'kissing cousins' into conversation leapt to mind, but then Steve remembered how accurate Chin was with that shotgun of his and the teasing thoughts quickly slipped away.

As they neared the tour office, Steve had a partial view into the back lot. Right next to the office was a reserved parking space for deliveries, and Steve had a bad feeling before he even rounded the corner of the building to get a full view of the rest of the lot. There was a single Chevy Spark parked on the far side of the small lot. Other than that and the two square, cement flower planters flanking the back door there was no cover for the men to utilize. Even the grey shadows provided by the parking lot's lone light post didn't offer adequate hiding, and the palm trees that lined the street were much too thin to hide anyone that wasn't a swimsuit model. At least they wouldn't have to worry about passersby driving into the lot. A metal chain closed off the entrance.

Looking around, Steve spotted a coffee shop with a small outdoor patio across the street. "We could watch from there and make our way back over once all the players are on the field."

A cryptic look passed over Danny's features, but after a small sigh, he was nodding his head in agreement. "Maybe they have a dessert menu to go with all that fancy coffee."

~H50~

After he convinced the server to skip the overbearing adjectives and non-essential foam, and just fill a mug with deep, rich coffee and let it go, Danny could admit that the beverage was pretty good. The opportunity to ignore the face staring at him from across the table also added to his enjoyment. This night wasn't turning out to be a complete waste after all.

The quiet echo bouncing off the water and through the flower lined spaces between buildings could have been just about anything. Could have been, but Danny knew that sound to be the distinct report of a Smith and Wesson. Even in their short time together he could recognize it as the weapon of choice for one Chin Ho Kelly. Apparently his partner also identified the sound as he was half a step in front of the detective as they raced across the street heading to the poorly lit back door of Aloha Catamaran Tours.

Danny was ten steps from the door when he pulled his Sig Pro out from his holster. He knew Steve would take the right side of the door so he aimed for the left. Suddenly a very large Samoan burst through the doorway carrying an Uzi. He lurched to a stop in surprise, and wasted barely a moment scanning the parking lot before spraying a quick burst of bullets at the cement flower bed Steve had just hurled himself behind. Then he ducked back inside and the door slammed behind him.

From inside the tour office there was a shouted warning of "Police!" followed by much yelling and crashing; the definite sounds of a desperate group of men digging in and readying themselves for defence.

"Shit!"

"You okay over there?" Danny called out over his own cement barrier.

The frustrated reply of "We're never going to hear them admit to taking out Salvator now," only made Danny want to shoot in his partner's general direction.

Instead he allowed himself no more than an eye roll and growled out, "I think we have bigger problems!"

There was a few seconds lapse before an acknowledgement was forth coming. "Yeah, you may be right." There was some scrambling in the pebbles from behind Steve's flower bed.

"Will you get down!" Danny demanded without even looking to verify his partner's head was raised above the planter wall. The lighting may have been less than ideal in this little lot, but it would only take one lucky shot to put his bull-headed partner out of commission.

"They're setting up for cover fire. I can see shadows of movement in the lights between the blinds. You have to move, Danny. Your position is too open."

Danny could only sigh in resignation, "Of course it is." Rather than knock his head against the cement wall out of frustration Danny chose to slowly pull himself along by his elbows to the edge of flower bed. "Ready when you are."

Silently counting to three in his head, and with the first shot from his partner's gun, Danny popped up and raced across the thirty feet of open parking lot and slid over the hood of the little Chevy to drop behind its protective body. Although he didn't feel like he had a whole lot more cover, he breathed out a sigh of relief for having made it this far.

As soon as the return fire calmed, Steve was shouting for confirmation that all was good.

"Yeah," Danny answered as he double checked there was a bullet primed and ready in the gun barrel. "Just your typical Thursday."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"If it were Monday, I'd be bleeding."

"I don't see…you know, that's just not fair."

"I'm calling Chin to see how they're doing," Danny changed the topic as he pulled out his cell phone. "Maybe you could call Duke? I bet his evening could use some excitement. He might even bring some of his co-workers along."

"You're just full of ideas," Steve snarked back. "I'm already on it and just waiting for him to answer his phone."

Before Danny could come up with a reply of his own, Chin's breathless voice came across the line.

"You guys okay?"

"For the moment," Danny answered. "How about you?"

"We're alright," Chin's breathing was slowly coming back under control. "We found cover, but there's at least eight guys in there, all heavily armed. There's two out here, but they won't be bothering anyone anytime soon."

"What happened?" Danny asked.

Chin sounded chagrined, "Would you believe one of Terashima's guys came up through the local gang ranks? With all the hours he's logged in HPD interrogation, he recognized me as a cop and started shooting."

Before Danny could offer any commiseration Steve was yelling at him to get down. From behind the relative safety of the Chevy, Danny was covering his head from flying shards of safety glass from the windows above. He wasn't able to offer any return fire as it seemed the air around him was alive with bullets and shrapnel. Steve's Sig was mysteriously silent as well.

"Are you hit?" Danny could barely hear his own bellow over the din.

The lack of response seemed to provide a foreboding silence within the clamour of gun fire.

As soon as there was a perceived lull in the attack, Danny was on his knees, forearms braced on the hood of the car, he emptied his whole magazine at the back of the office building. It gave him enough time to locate Steve lying flat on the asphalt with his arms covering his head. Danny couldn't see any red splotches and he hoped it was because there weren't any. With his return fire, his partner was able to shift his position enough to acknowledge Danny's question with a quick thumbs up. With the departure of the final bullet from the magazine, Danny dropped back to the ground with a deep and heartfelt sigh.

There was token resistance of gun play in reply, but Danny was able to hear Steve's request for another show of force. He knew his partner needed to move. His position behind the planter was only marginally better than Danny's had been.

Pulling a fresh magazine from his pocket, Danny pushed the release and let the empty one fall from the handle. He slammed home the new magazine and made sure to chamber the first shell. Closing his eyes, he offered a quick prayer to any deity in the area who may be listening. Sister Mary Margaret from Holy Trinity Middle School would be disappointed in his cavalier appeal, but she had always told him he was on the path straight to Hell due to his lack of commitment and poor Latin intonation.

With fresh resolve, Danny returned to his knees and shot with all the accuracy and speed he had learned since his academy days. His gun clicked empty just as a dark form flew over the roof of the car and crashed to the ground beside him.

Scuttling through the shards of glass around them was less of a concern than the hail of bullets now coming at them. Both men rested with their backs against the tires while they brought their breathing back to normal levels.

"That was graceful," the rush of adrenalin still had Danny sounding winded. "Just like a bird."

The 'evil eye' thrown his way actually helped him to relax, the corner of his lips even twitched. "So now what, genius? My plans for the evening didn't include being target practise for a bunch of bad guys. Use some of that Army know how and come up with a plan already."

"That's Navy, Danny. And why do you recognize that I'm in charge only when we're in trouble?" Steve asked with a sour look, but still raised himself slowly so he could see over the door and through the empty windows of the Chevy.

"Hey, be careful," Danny whispered.

Steve ignored the warning and took a decent look at their surroundings. "We've got them blocked up in the building. Did Chin say if they were able to maintain their position at the front?"

"Are you insane?"

"What? They _**are**_ okay?" Steve actually looked worried.

"Yes, they're okay!" If Danny wasn't holding on to his weapon, he would have made a point of smacking that look off his partner's face. "Do you even hear yourself? Do you honestly believe that the two of us," his left hand let go of his Sig Pro and weaved between the two of them, "have this particular scene under control? That Kono and Chin are in any better position on the other side of this building, than we are?"

Steve scrunched his eyes shut and leaned his head back against the battered Spark. "Backup is coming. We just have to keep Terashima and his men from leaving until they get here."

"Keep them from leaving? You are insane." For some reason it felt good to acknowledge the obvious.

"There's only one door, Danny. If they're stupid enough to open it, we lay down an intense barrage of fire and keep them there."

"Intense barrage?" Danny couldn't keep the sound of incredulity out of his voice. "This," Danny tilted his head to indicate the weapon in his hands, "This is my last clip. So that's twelve bullets." He had already dropped the second empty magazine from the gun when Steve came hurdling over the car. "My back-up piece," Danny referred to the Walther he kept in his ankle holster, "has seven more. That's it. After that a fat lady comes out to sing."

Steve's head teetered side to side. Danny assumed he was doing a quick calculation of how screwed they really were. Finally Steve nodded. Danny was somewhat pleased that his crazy assed partner recognized the obvious conclusion so quickly.

"We do a carefully aimed, intense barrage until back-up arrives."

Danny sighed. It amazed him how the same conclusion could look so different from an insane person's point of view.

However, he didn't have much time to worry about perspectives as Terashima's men prepared for their move. Guns were pointed out from the smashed office window and more were being aimed from between the door and its frame. The noise of the attack alone was enough to knock a man over.

"We can't let them get out!" Steve yelled as he rolled to his stomach and began his return fire from under the rear bumper of the car.

Like Danny didn't know that. Trying to keep as much of the car between him and the bullets as possible, Danny used the door frame for cover and aimed through the vehicle's front windows. He aimed for the area around the weapon parts he could see; hoping his bullets made it through the narrow openings and found a target.

For five long minutes each side seemed to hold their own. Danny was down to the last few bullets in his Walther when he heard the most beautiful sound. Sirens were just barely audible over the current din of flying bullets. Steve must also have heard it as he sat back up, using the tire to hide him from view on the other side. Danny copied his move, using the front tire to lean against.

Within moments the whole sky seemed to light up with flashing red and blue. A familiar voice boomed through a bullhorn, "This is the police. We have you surrounded. Drop your weapons and come out slowly."

If Danny was ever blessed with a baby boy, he was naming him Duke.

There seemed to be some debate going on inside the tour office, and Danny crouched, ready to bring his weapon back into play. Not that he would have much to contribute, but he'd do what he could. Steve was beside him checking his P226. He didn't look happy, probably down to half a load. Thankfully the first weapon from inside the tour office was dropped from the smashed window. Soon several others followed.

"We're coming out. Don't shoot."

Slowly the inside door was pulled open and a well built black man stood in the doorway, his hands up. He pushed the outer door and it came loose from its top hinge falling onto the man's shoulder. He caught the edge of the door and as he pushed it out of his way, he reiterated, "Don't shoot. I'm coming out."

After four men were standing in the dim light with their hands behind their heads, and it was clear no one else would be joining them, Danny shouted from his position behind the car, "Where are the others? We know there were eight of you."

Steve raised an eyebrow at the number, but kept his gun pointed at the open door.

"They're down. You'll have to send in paramedics to bring them out," the man who was first out replied.

Hoping it wasn't a lie, Danny and Steve slowly stood and were joined by six men in HPD uniforms and tac vests coming in from the surrounding lots. As four officers took control and handcuffed the men, Duke came towards Steve.

"You guys alright?"

Danny dusted the dirt and rocks from his trousers. His fingers found a long tear in the side of his left pant leg. "That's another set of pants you owe me, McGarrett."

Steve smirked, "I bet cargo pants are starting to look pretty good, hey Danno?"

Danny reached out and shoved his partner and was surprised when the man actually started to fall over. Quick reactions had Danny grabbing Steve by the arm and helping him sit down on the edge of a planter. Feeling his hand come away sticky, Danny looked to see a runny coating across his palm.

"You moron. You've been shot!"

~TBC~


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N - **Not a doctor, don't play one on TV. Please read and accept with a grain of salt.

**Chapter 6**

Danny paced frustratingly familiar steps across the room; around the squeaky, plastic visitor's chair and on to the mocking night view framed in the window. He tried again to focus on the flickering stars, the dim hope of distraction as faint as the light they provided. But it was not to be, they merely winked mockingly back at him, as if to remind him how much of a mess the night had become.

For maybe the twentieth time, he turned away from the window and trekked back across the room. His arms rose up in a full body shrug, as he muttered "Suppose I should be grateful." He paused by the ugly chair, "Coulda been worse." His thoughts quickly covered the possibilities. "So much worse."

With a sigh, he shoved his hands deeper into his pockets and finished the short distance back to the closed door. He paused and glared at it. He'd been told to wait here. His constant motion and quiet mumblings had brought him to the attention of the charge nurse who recognized him from previous visits. It's possible she had true sympathy for him but Danny suspected she really just wanted him away and out of sight of all the other people waiting with concern in the emergency room. It was fine by him. Only, if he had to wait much longer he'd be the one admitted with blood pressure medication dripping through an I.V.

He could feel his impatience growing as he stared at the door that remained stubbornly closed. So he turned back on yet another circuit across the room. After eight steps he found that chair blocking his direct path to the window yet again. He grabbed hold of it with the intent of just shoving it towards the wall but instead pulled his arms back, one hand reaching up to rub at his tired eyes. With a sigh, he took the half step to the left and continued on his way.

The sudden commotion behind him made him pause. Spinning around, he watched two orderlies wheel his partner in on a gurney. They were followed by a nurse toting a tablet computer. With a sigh of relief Danny stayed out of the way, but kept his hands free and was ready to rush forward if he was needed to grab a wayward limb.

The orderlies were quick and efficient in settling Steve in his new bed and hanging the I.V. bags. One of them nodded to Danny as he grabbed the end of the empty gurney, pushing it out of the room. Not sure if he was being thanked for the offer of help or only recognized as being in the room, Danny moved to hold the door open, happy to have it snick shut behind them now that he had his partner back under his watchful eye.

"You must be Detective Williams," the nurse smiled at him as she finished adjusting one of the dials on the monitor tracking his partner's vitals.

"That'd be me," Danny agreed. "I assume the charge nurse told you I'd be here and you're not some distant relative of the Great Carnac?"

The nurse smiled again, "It's a quiet night, seems to be plenty of time between tasks for us nurses to gossip. I'm Beth," she stuck out her hand, "I'll be watching the Commander over-night."

Danny catalogued the quick but firm handshake as confident and sure. His head tilted slightly to indicate the man in the bed, "So how is he?"

A rough voice mumbled, "He's fine."

Danny's eyebrows lifted, a little surprised to see Steve awake – assuming the slight bit of hazel peering from between mostly closed lids could count as awake.

A warm smile crossed Danny's lips. "I'm glad to hear that. But I wasn't asking you, so hush."

"Oh, that's real nice." Steve's voice was still raspy from his medicated sleep. His eyes drifted closed.

Danny placed a calming hand on Steve's arm. Looking back to Beth, "So really, how is he?"

Beth looked mildly amused, if her grin was anything to go by. "He's going to be fine."

"Told you so."

Beth placed a gentle hand on Steve's knee. "Do you need anything for pain, Commander?"

"No. Really, m'fine."

Danny gave a soothing pat to the bicep below his fingers. "Sure you are. I'm going to listen to the lady with the stethoscope now. So you just keep those eyes closed and go back to conducting army manoeuvres in your head."

Steve gave a soft snort, "_**Navy**_, Danny," but didn't open his eyes.

Danny let the correction go without a snide comeback. He had plenty of time to inform his partner on the safety procedures of HPD versus the obviously lacking military protocols, if Steve was anything to go by.

"He's really going to be okay," Beth repeated, whispering, not wanting to disturb her patient. "The surgery to remove the bullet from his shoulder went smoothly, no complications. He'll be staying with us for a day, maybe two. We need to replenish his fluids and monitor him for infection." She motioned to the two I.V. bags hanging near the head of the bed.

Danny's shoulders relaxed for the first time since leaving his apartment earlier that evening. "So the hospital's taking responsibility for him for the next twenty four hours?"

"Between the anesthetic, pain medication and antibiotics, I expect he'll sleep for most of his time with us," Beth answered, matching Danny's grin.

Wrinkles appeared across Steve's forehead as his brows furrowed but his eyes remained closed. "We're not finished with our case."

Danny chuckled at the annoyed frown, "Shhh, Steven. You're mumbling. Go back to sleep."

Beth tucked the sheet up around her patient. "I'll give you boys a few more minutes, but he really does need his sleep. If you need anything, you know how to work the button." She gave another smile as she exited, pulling the door closed behind her.

Danny couldn't help himself; a large grin took over his face. "You think I should ask for her number tonight or wait until she gives it to me tomorrow?"

"What are you talking about?" Steve's eyes blearily opened, managing a little further than before. "She had her hands all over me. If anyone's getting her number it'll be me."

Danny gave a short bark of a laugh, "You're her patient. It's her _job; _she's paid to touch icky people like you. Besides she couldn't take her eyes off me."

"Icky people? Really, Danny?"

"Yes, icky people. All that blood. Body fluids leaking everywhere; not to mention the pale skin tone. Oh, then there's all that bitching and moaning. So not attractive."

Steve's good arm lifted from the bed, his hand fisted. "Come a little closer and I'll give you leaking body fluids. And all you do is bitch and moan – and you're not even in a hospital bed."

Danny frowned, going through his bank of witty replies only to shrug, "Yeah, but she doesn't know that."

A short guffaw had Steve gripping his chest below the bandages on his shoulder. "Shit. That really hurts."

"Then don't do it."

The menacing glare only made Danny grin. "You heard your nurse," Danny stepped back from the bed and stuffed his hands back into his pockets. "You should get some sleep. You have fluids to replace and the good drugs to fight for you."

Steve pushed his head further into his pillow, his good arm returning to his side and eyes closing. He managed a smile and sighed, "Thanks, Danno. I want to know what Duke finds at Terashima's office." His hand rose slightly from the bed again, "And let me know what you get from the ones that made it to lock up, too."

Danny pushed the hand back down, leaving his own hand resting on top until he was sure it wouldn't rise again. "Thanks, Steven, but this isn't my first rodeo. I'll see that it's all taken care of. You go to sleep."

There was a deep, settling sigh then a quietly murmured, "See you tomorrow, Danno."

Danny turned down the lights. "See you tomorrow." He pulled the door closed behind him, only to settle into a chair a few feet from the door and start making some phone calls.

~H50~

Friday morning Danny was humming with the radio as he made his way to the office. It wasn't a Bon Jovi song, but that didn't seem to be a requirement on this bright and beautiful start to the day.

After leaving Steve's room last night his first call was to Duke and was told everything was under control. All the books and files from Terashima's office were being bagged and tagged as evidence. HPD would have a qualified accountant go over everything and there were high hopes of finally having the necessary evidence to put Terashima away for a long time. Once he got out of the hospital anyway. He was one of the men taken away by ambulance.

The captain from narcotics division wanted to have first go at the men in lock-up. He had waged war against Terashima for over five years and that Thursday night, as Danny had been almost too tired to form coherent thought and yet unwilling to leave his partner's side, Danny was happy to allow him the privilege. Captain Tanaka promised Danny access to the transcripts, and a phone call if he got anything relating to the death of Akino Salvator.

Danny had waited outside of his partner's room for another hour, periodically checking that the man inside was truly resting. The friendly nursing staff kept feeding Danny cups of coffee and offering understanding smiles as they worked around him. Finally with the firm knowledge that Steve was sleeping peacefully and being taken care of by the very capable Nurse Beth, the men in lock-up were being tackled by one very determined Captain Tanaka and Duke was in charge of the crime scene; Danny had gone home and slept.

Arriving at the office, Danny entered with a flourish, a bag of fresh malasadas swinging from his hand, "Good morning everyone."

Kono's smile grew to match the blond detective's. "You're in a good mood. Did you get extra sugar on your donut this morning?"

Danny held up his bag of baked goodness. "I've got the breakfast of champions right here."

Chin took a break from typing on the touchscreen tabletop to lean his hip against the edge. It looked like he and Kono had already been busy this morning doing their technical magic. Duke had a busy night, as all the screens held information relating to Terashima and his business. Chin and Kono were breaking it down into leads for further investigation.

Chin had one of his relaxed grins well in place, "So you're saying Hawaii has Jersey beat in the food department."

Danny placed the paper bag on the edge of the computer table, "Why don't we just see what lunch time brings before you turn your delusions of grandeur on me."

Both Chin and Kono laughed, accepting Danny would never admit to his home state as being anything less than perfect.

"You stop in and see Steve this morning?" Chin asked.

Danny's smile returned, "I called and spoke to his nurse. Our little Destructo-boy slept peacefully through the night and was still resting this morning. Things are going so well, he'll probably be released this afternoon."

"That is good news," Kono's smile reflected how happy she was to hear the news.

With a wave of his hand Danny indicated the opened windows on display on the computer screen, "What have we got?"

"The lab sent over their initial findings from Terashima's tour office," Chin explained. "The weapons used last night can be traced back to one or two open cases that Captain Tanaka will be happy to follow up on."

"Today just keeps getting better and better," Danny grinned.

There was another 'bing' from the table alerting them to more new documents. Chin opened them and quickly scanned over the contents. "We have the fingerprints from the tour office and the men we arrested last night. Duke just sent over a list of open files HPD suspects are related to Terashima. We should also run comparisons to other outstanding cases from other states... "

Danny stepped back from the table. It wasn't that he couldn't do the work; rather he just didn't want to spend the rest of his day staring at computer screens and reading someone else's case files. He knew he could get Chin, or even Kono, to send him the relevant files, but he hated days with too much computer face time.

Luckily for him, Kono interrupted, "Oh, I almost forgot. Mrs. Salvator called this morning. She was asking if she could get into her office. The Salvators' building is still sealed with police tape," she was prepared to call the sweet older lady back with an answer and make the expected arrangements.

"You know," Danny latched on to a way out of the office, "I would like to meet Mrs. Salvator. Maybe go over her statement about the vandalism."

Kono didn't reply, only raised one well sculpted eyebrow.

Danny took a few more steps towards the glass doors, "You could always use some additional practise with the less exciting, yet practical aspects of police work." A hand twirled in the general direction of Kono and the computer table with all its incoming files. A few more steps were taken towards the exit. "You'll let Mrs. Salvator know I'm on my way? I'll meet her at the tour office."

Kono had a serious look on her face as she replied, "Of course. She'll be happy to know a detective is on his way to help her."

Danny was gone. He missed his co-workers chuckling at his expense.

~TBC~


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Celeste Salvator sat on a sun-warmed bench just outside of her husband's tour office. She had turned her back to the glaring yellow police tape that prevented easy access. The gentle flow of a boat's wake through the harbour was a pleasant distraction until it drifted through the empty spot that had housed their tour boat, The Queen Celeste. Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes to the melancholy she was fighting, Celeste settled her resolve to see this final duty through. With her eyes still closed, she was startled by a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Mrs. Salvator? I'm Detective Danny Williams."

Celeste couldn't help but notice the man's almost formal wear. Who wears a tie in Hawaii? However, she was drawn by the kind blue eyes. She gladly accepted the warm hand to help her up from the bench.

"Thank you, Detective." The blond man returned her smile before gently taking her by the arm and they started towards the tour office.

"Please accept my condolences on the loss of your husband."

Celeste patted the detective's arm. "Are the police any closer to knowing who did this to my Akino?"

"The police are talking to persons of interest, but we're still investigating."

Reaching into her pocket for the office key, Celeste passed it to the chivalrous officer. "Is that the politically correct way of saying you think you know, but you're not sure?"

With a sigh the officer nodded his head, "We're pretty sure. There's evidence to support our theories, but unfortunately it's not yet conclusive." He was quick to unlock the door and run a pocket knife blade through the sticky barrier of police tape.

Celeste bit back her frustration and sniffed her tears under control. With a determined nod of her head, she retook her hold on the young man's arm and let him lead her into the tour office. She had to pause after stepping over the threshold and felt lost in the familiar space. It was hard to imagine that she'd never again see Akino leaning over the photocopier cursing its inner workings or slamming his hand down on the stubborn stapler that seemed to always stick.

With a gentle pressure on her arm the detective brought her attention to the box of tissues he held out to her. Celeste felt a blush creep up her cheeks, "Thank you, Detective."

"Danny," the detective offered with an understanding smile.

"Thank you, Danny."

The kind man's arm waved through space, circling through the air. "So, what exactly are we looking for?"

Celeste was grateful for the re-direction. She used it to bring her emotions under better control. With one last sniff, she forced a smile and focused back on the task at hand. "We had a tour booked for today. Another operator – a friend – was able to take it and fit it into his schedule."

The detective lifted a curious eyebrow which Celeste waved away. "Jim is an old friend. He and Akino were boys together,_**I**_ asked _him_ to take the tour."

Danny nodded his head, but there was a look of suspicion on his face. "I'm sure everything is completely above board, but I would like to have one of my colleagues run a quick check on your friend and his purely innocent business opportunity."

Celeste frowned at the very thought of Jim Hueu being anything other than the very good friend she believed him to be. Still, the detective was only doing his job and it would be best to have Jim cleared quickly. "When I find the original contract you can make a copy, but I will also need to send it to Jim so he can make sure he has everything ready for the client." Danny nodded his agreement.

Akino's desk was on the far side of the office. Making her way over and settling into the worn, but comfortable leather chair, Celeste expelled a sigh as she eyed the various piles, deciding on which stack she should start her search. Danny followed her and sat with a plop in the facing chair.

"Your husband had more of a piling system than a filing system." His right arm seemed lost as it indicated the vast amounts of paper covering the desk.

The look of utter despair on the officer's face brought a bubble of laughter to Celeste. This shared opinion brought her Akino back to her if only for a moment.

"He never lost a contract and always seemed to know where everything was. I, on the other hand, never could find anything in this mess."

Danny pulled the pile closest to him onto his lap. "Let's hope that today is the day we break that streak."

Celeste nodded as she too started in on a pile to search for the necessary contract.

After ten minutes and several frustrated groans from the detective, Celeste declared her satisfaction with a triumphant, "I found it!"

"Oh, thank God," Danny slid his current paper pile back onto the desk. His hands were quick in preventing another stack from toppling over. He took a tentative step away and sighed with relief when nothing else moved.

Celeste grinned at the man's actions. His grumpy attitude was too late to hide the fact that he was really a kind and thoughtful man. She liked him. Trusting that the detective would clear her husband's old friend quickly, she handed the papers over. "I'll make you some tea and you can do… whatever it is that policemen do with evidence. That last page is a guest list. Jim will need that too."

A quick smile crossed Danny's features as he accepted the offer. "I take my tea sweet. Thank you." He stepped over to an area with clear counter space and began photographing the contract. Celeste had to shake her head at today's methods. So different from the ways of her favourite TV detective of when she was a young woman. Oh well, the way things were going today, all those lollipops would lead to diabetes.

It was only a few minutes for the kettle to boil and Danny returned the contract to Celeste. She held out a cup with steam rising. "I put in two lumps of sugar. There is more if you need." She pointed to the box of raw sugar cubes sitting near the coffee pot. The detective did indeed like his drinks sweet as he stirred in another cube, nodding his thanks.

"How long have you been in Hawai'i?" Celeste was curious.

"It'll be one year in March." He blew a cooling breath across the top of his tea. "Are you going to start calling me haole, too?"

She patted his arm, "A person shouldn't be judged because of where they come from." His eyes crinkled and he looked like he was trying to determine if she was mocking his home. She stopped him from questioning her with a gentle touch to his cheek. "You are a good man. It doesn't matter to me where you were born. You are in Hawai'i now. We'll help you find your way."

He put his cup down, "Hey, I'm not the one who's lost here." His hands started circling again. "You Hawaiians need a good clock. I swear no one from these islands is able to tell time. If they could maybe they'd spend less time in the surf and sand. Maybe slow down the shrinkage of everyone's brains. They're all sun baked and water logged."

Celeste laughed, "Next March, when you're wearing slippers on your feet and a bright Hawaiian shirt, come see me. We'll have another cup of tea."

There was a rebuttal in the detective's eyes, but he pinched his lips together and pointed at the contract, "Your friend must be waiting."

"We'll wear you down. You'll see," Celeste accepted the pages and smothered her laughter. The look of utter annoyance on the detective's face was almost her undoing. She moved to the old fashioned fax machine that was near her husband's desk. She heard Danny's phone ring and he was quick to answer it. He stayed on the other side of the office talking discreetly. Celeste assumed it was another member of his team as she heard mention of the guest list and calling someone's ex-wife. He was looking at her when he finally placed his phone back in his pocket.

"Do you know any of the guests listed for this afternoon's tour?"

"I don't know," Celeste pulled the final page from the fax machine's holding tray. "This was a reception of sorts for the committee looking to revitalize a neighbourhood on the north side of Honolulu. Most of these people are bankers and lawyers. Some are realtors and others are professionals with an interest in that area." She shook her head to his actual question though, "But I don't _personally_ know any of them."

"Are you almost finished there?" the detective checked the fax machine, verifying that the pages had gone through. "I can call and have an officer take you home. I need to find someone."

His hand was on her arm as he gently, but firmly, lead her towards the door. His other hand was digging through his pocket in search of his phone. He didn't have the best grip on the device as he attempted to make his call single handed. He stopped beside the door and pointed to a chair. "I just need a minute. Do you mind?"

Celeste was adjusting the hem of her skirt after Danny helped her take a seat when the door to the office opened. It was the errand boy for Aloha Catamaran Tours, Wayne Roesler. Celeste thought he was a bit of a lazy young man but he was always polite when he stopped by to talk cars with Akino as they shared the cookies Celeste packed in her husband's lunch.

"I thought I saw Mrs. Salvator earlier? She was sitting on the bench out front," Wayne was quick to explain as he stepped all the way in to the office. Catching sight of Celeste sitting down, he closed the door so he could make his way over. The detective didn't budge out of the way. In fact Danny stepped directly in his path, preventing him from reaching her at all.

"Uh, Mrs. Salvator?" the young man peered over the officer's shoulder.

Celeste smiled back. It was only a moment until Wayne saw the badge on the belt of the man blocking him. He swallowed thickly noticing the hand resting on the holstered gun. Celeste thought she should introduce the two before Wayne embarrassed himself. Again, the young man looked over the detective's shoulder and she had to hide her smile brought on by the look on the boy's face. That was, until he spoke.

"Police?" Wayne's voice dropped, "Shit." And before Celeste was able to voice an introduction, Wayne snapped both his hands hard against the detectives head, his palms over the ears. The detective dropped.

~H50~

Kono had the digital copies of the tour contract up on the screens around the gathering room. She was leaning back on the computer table so she could comfortably see all three screens. She was running a check on the names from the guest list. Danny's text also asked her to look into Jim Hueu, owner and operator of Sunshine Tours. She couldn't find any warrants or convictions listed in HPD files and was running him through national data bases now. So far everything pointed to him being an upstanding citizen of Hawaii.

There was a ping from the computer table as an HPD file opened on the centre screen. It was a booking from two years ago for Mr. Carl Roesler, owner of Roesler Realty. His name was on the guest list for the afternoon's tour. The HPD file listed one booking for possession with intent to sell. Fifty kilos of Heroine had been found in a luxurious condo suite owned by Mr. Roesler, but as the building was under renovations and not yet available for habitation, the charges were dropped. There wasn't enough evidence to prove Mr. Roesler actually possessed the drugs.

Kono would have been okay to let the booking slide. It was quite possible that the criminal element had taken advantage of an empty building and Mr. Roesler was just the unfortunate owner of the suite they had chosen for their temporary storage. However, it was the picture from the booking that caused Kono to believe the charges maybe should have stuck. The face of Carl Roesler looking out from the booking photo matched to the picture in a three year old newspaper article on the grand opening of Aloha Catamaran Tours. There amongst several guests – invited by personal invitation according to the article – was Carl Roesler standing shoulder to shoulder with Thomas Terashima.

Wanting more information, Kono called Duke. Luckily he was free and happy to supply answers. "Carl Roesler is a known associate of Thomas Terashima. HPD believes they have a business relationship but as of this time they have not been able to physically link either of them to the drug trade. Roesler has made a name for himself in the real estate market and his company didn't seem to suffer in the downturn of the economy. He has one son, Wayne Joseph Roesler. No arrest records."

There was the sound of another voice in the background, and Duke excused himself for a moment. With the shuffling of papers he came back on the line, "The desk sergeant just brought me the files from last night. There was an automobile accident on the Pali Highway. It was a single vehicle crash causing the death of the driver…"

Kono already knew the answer but asked for confirmation, "It was Carl Roesler, wasn't it?"

"Yes. Do I need to have a team look closer at this accident, Kono?"

"I think that would be a very good idea, Duke."

Kono thanked Duke for all his help and said good-bye so he could return to his assignment. She wasn't sure what this meant for the investigation into the death of Akino Salvator, but she was sure they were connected. Besides the son, there was the listing for an ex-wife, Wendy Hendrickson, currently residing in Los Angeles, California.

Speed dialling Danny, Kono was quick to explain what she had found. Danny recommended calling the ex-wife. Checking the time, Kono dialled the long distance number. After three rings the call was answered by a teary voice. Kono identified herself and explained she was looking for information on Roesler Realty.

"The police called me this morning. Is this about Carl's accident?" Wendy asked.

"HPD is looking into the accident, ma'am," Kono deflected. "I'm investigating a separate case and there may be a connection with your husband's realty business. I was hoping you could tell me about Roesler Realty?"

"Oh, I hated his business. It's all Carl ever talked about. Money, and how to make more of it. The motto he shared with his son was that money can solve everything." There was a sniffled pause, "Have you seen Wayne? He's all alone now. Tell him not to worry and to come home. I'll pay for his flight."

"What would Wayne be worried about, Mrs. Hendrickson?"

"Money. What else? Carl kept our son on a tight financial leash. Carl always said he didn't just give money away. Wayne had to prove himself to his own father. Please tell Wayne to call me."

Kono assured the weepy woman if she saw her son that she'd pass along the request. She needed to call Chin. He had gone to the hospital to pick up Steve. Apparently he and his medical care givers had reached the conclusion that he was well enough to go home. Kono was sure it was more Steve decided he was well enough and the hospital staff accepting that if he was able to argue, he was well enough to be under someone else's care.

Chin answered and Kono could hear her boss in the background; they were still at the hospital and Steve was confirming with his nurse that he was fine. Kono quickly went over everything she had found and was putting out a request to pick up Wayne Roesler for questioning with HPD. Chin would be back to the office as soon as he dropped Steve off at home. She hoped Danny was having some luck in locating Wayne down by the tour office.

~TBC~


	8. Chapter 8

A/N - Please accept the first of my offerings to the DWOCD club.

**Chapter 8**

Danny was sprawled on the floor, his head ringing. The clap to his ears caused centrifugal force to mess with his equilibrium and left him feeling disoriented and queasy. He managed to pull himself up onto all fours but had to rest and take a deep breath to try to settle his stomach. He had yet to gather the strength needed to lift his head, so he shook it where it dangled from his shoulders. He could hear a voice bouncing around with the echoes in his throbbing head, but he couldn't quite make out the words. Another quick shake helped to sort the confusing noises and he could finally understand.

"Get Up!"

Danny managed to gather enough energy to look up. The first thing he focused on was his own Sig Pro being pointed at him; behind the wildly gesticulating weapon was a red faced young man who seemed to have steam pouring out of his ears. Danny moaned inwardly and shook his head yet again, hoping his vision would clear.

"Are you deaf?"

If Wayne Roesler was going to maintain that volume, Danny thought it may be entirely possible to suffer some hearing impairment. Afraid to speak, as his stomach was still quite busy keeping its contents contained, Danny pulled one hand off the floor and held up a finger, asking for just a moment.

"I said – Get. UP!" A kick to Danny's chest followed the demand.

Swallowing quickly while rolling on his back, Danny just managed to keep his breakfast from reappearing. He had to concentrate on his breathing, keeping it shallow helped with the pain in his ribs. There was a quick jab of a sneakered foot to his shoulder to remind him of his surroundings.

"I won't ask again."

Danny managed to squint out a glare as he looked up from his position on the floor. Wayne Roesler had stepped back. Even if Danny's limbs were co-operating fully, he wouldn't be able to grab any part of the kid before he could get a shot off.

"Are you gonna kick me again, if I roll over to get up?" Danny wheezed, a leery eye on Wayne's feet.

"Just move slowly," Wayne instructed as he took another step back.

With a groan, Danny managed to roll over and then pull himself up onto his feet. The right side of his chest twinged as he finally stood straight, his arm wrapping around his sore ribs. The room was spinning and it took a moment to bring the two Mrs. Salvators into singular focus. She was still sitting where he had left her. The shock of everything she had just seen left her looking almost as dazed as he felt. Danny wanted to comfort her, but didn't want to redirect Wayne's attention, or the gun he was holding, on to her.

"So kid, why don't you tell me your name." Danny recognized Wayne Roesler from the photo Kono had sent but he hoped talking would calm the jittery young man.

"I'm not a kid! You don't need to know who I am!" Spittle flew as Wayne yelled, the hand holding Danny's gun shook with agitation.

Wasn't it just Danny's luck? The crazy kid just wasn't ready to be calmed down. Danny turned his face away from weapon's barrel. At this range, Wayne would guarantee Danny a closed casket service. Then how would his crazy assed partner explain his demise to his beautiful daughter? The knowledge that his partner of only a few months – Neanderthal animal that he was – would in fact be there to help his daughter through the ordeal comforted him, at least a little.

"Wayne Roesler," Mrs. Salvator's voice was weak but she seemed to be pulling herself together. It was also enough of a disruption that the weapon was no longer aimed directly at Danny's head. "His name is Wayne Roesler."

"No!" Wayne yelled out, his aim waffled between Mrs. Salvator and Danny. "No. He does not need to know my name." He took a step towards the old lady, his aim now directed at her chest. "From now on no one speaks unless I say so. You got that?"

Tears began to steadily run down Mrs. Salvator's cheeks as she nodded her understanding, too frightened to speak.

The crying woman seemed to sap some of the anger out of Wayne. "It wasn't supposed to happen this way. I was gonna offer to lock up the office for you, and when you were gone, I just had to find that list with my dad's name on it. It was so simple. Don't you see? It wasn't supposed to happen this way!" Wayne's arms flailed as he begged Mrs. Salvator to see how wrong everything was turning.

Wayne wasn't paying attention, distracted by Mrs. Salvator's tears and his desire for her to understand. He turned his back to the detective as he implored the old lady to believe him. Taking advantage of the distraction, Danny rushed to grab the hand holding the gun. Wayne's reaction time was faster than Danny expected and he couldn't be sure if it was a surprise reflex action or if Wayne actually meant to pull the trigger. The fiery pain in his thigh dropped him to the floor, and left him trying to bring his heaving breaths back under control while his hands groped his bleeding leg.

"What do you think you were doing? Huh?" All of Wayne's attention was back on Danny, the weapon in his hands now held steady. "You are ruining everything!" All of his previous anger returned.

Unable to speak through the pain, Danny could only glare his response.

"Get up and move over there," Wayne used the gun to indicate the chair Danny had been using while searching through the paperwork on Akino Salvator's desk.

"No, you should go," Mrs. Salvator closed her eyes and took a gulp of bravery as she drew Wayne's attention. "Someone would have heard that shot and called the police. You should just go."

Wayne looked between Danny and Mrs. Salvator, every now and again his eyes were drawn to the exit. Shaking his head, he made up his mind. Pointing the gun to Mrs. Salvator he directed her to the door.

"Lock it," he instructed, "And close the blinds." She hurried to do as she was asked. Wayne then indicated for her to sit back down.

"What's the plan?" Danny asked from his spot on the floor.

"You're moving to that chair." Wayne pointed the gun at Danny until, with a groan, he started to shuffle himself across the floor. Wayne stayed a safe distance away and out of reach as he followed the detective.

"Get up."

Danny looked at the chair then back to Wayne. Indicating the injured limb he said, "I'm going to need a little help here."

With a smirk, Wayne shook his head, "Too bad."

With another put-upon sigh, Danny reached for the corner of the desk and managed to lever himself up. He was wobbly on his feet and almost looked forward to taking a seat in the padded chair.

"Take out your handcuffs."

"What?" Danny really didn't want to be stuck in his own cuffs. Back in the bull-pen of HQ, those kinds of stories were almost impossible to live down.

"Handcuffs," Wayne repeated. He seemed to be getting more and more comfortable holding Danny's gun as the Sig Pro no longer wavered in its aim at the center of Danny's chest.

With a resigned sigh, Danny reached into his back pocket and pulled out his handcuffs. He held them out for Wayne to take them.

"Uhn-un," Wayne shook his head, refusing to step closer to the detective. "You're always trying, aren't you? You put them on, just one hand. Then sit your ass down and stick both hands behind the chair."

Danny couldn't help the groan that escaped as he lowered himself onto the chair. He hadn't tightened the cuff around his right wrist, hoping Wayne wouldn't notice as he stuck his hands around to the back of the chair.

Wayne called Mrs. Salvator over, telling her to finish locking the policeman to the chair. Danny hid a small smile as now both cuffs were slack around his wrists. She even went so far as to place a gentle hand on his shoulder as she was ushered past, prodded back towards her seat by the firmly held gun in Wayne's hand. The best Danny could do was a barely perceptible nod of his thanks.

Trust, unfortunately, wasn't one of Wayne's better qualities. After watching Mrs. Salvator settle back into her seat he stepped behind Danny's chair to check the restraints. He slapped the back of the detective's head with the butt of his pistol.

"Always trying," Wayne ground out as he tightened the cuffs almost to the point where they were cutting off the circulation to Danny's hands.

The smack to his head wasn't hard enough to break the skin, but it brought the ringing sensation back and caused the room to start a mild spin. Danny closed his eyes, hoping to keep the nausea at bay.

With the detective restrained, Wayne began pacing but was no longer pointing the weapon at anyone in particular. Mrs. Salvator sniffled quietly before finding her voice to ask if she could help Danny, whose blood was now pooling on the chair.

Wayne paused in his pacing long enough to gauge the health and wellness of the detective. Wanting a closer look, he stepped beside the chair and using the tip of Danny's Sig he prodded the wound on Danny's left leg

Barely containing the grimace of pain, Danny managed to growl out, "Back off!"

Wayne ignored the restrained man and poked once more at the hole in his leg. "An inch more to the right and it wouldn't even have grazed him. He's being a baby; he doesn't need any help."

Danny stared at Wayne in cold incredulity. Sure an inch further to the side and the bullet may very well have missed him, but the muscles with the hole currently running through them spasmed with the reality that a bullet had torn them apart and was now letting his very fine Williams blood drip from where it belonged on the inside to the very undesirable outside of his body.

Mrs. Salvator sided with Danny, "He's bleeding. He needs his leg bandaged before it's too much."

"He wasn't even supposed to be here!" Wayne yelled, the gun aimed at the centre of the tie hanging down Danny's chest. "I had everything planned out. It was so simple. And now this cop is ruining everything!"

"Yeah, blame the cop," Danny muttered under his breath.

Bright red coloured Wayne's features as he spluttered. "Shut up!" With an angry swing, his fist collided with Danny's jaw, "Just shut up!" Wayne stormed to the front of the office, his free hand fisting and unfisting as he tried to control his anger. He stopped at the edge of the window to pry the blinds away and peek out at the boardwalk.

Danny was left blinking his eyes and opening and closing his mouth. He tested his jaw to ensure it wasn't dislocated. It hurt, but it was intact. Keeping one eye closed minimized the amount of spin in the room and Danny was able to find Mrs. Salvator glaring at him from across the room. Even when his partner wasn't around, he was still getting one of his faces. Sometimes life wasn't fair.

Leaning his head back, Danny needed a few moments to gather his waning strength. He'd be thrilled with the sudden appearance of an EMS person armed with a fully stocked med kit. Heck, he'd settle for his crazed Navy SEAL partner holding a syringe of morphine. He tried to take a deep settling breath, but with his arms pulled behind the chair and his ribs still sore from being kicked, it quickly became an effort to find a position to breathe that didn't cause him pain.

Danny's squirming turned Wayne's attention from sneaking looks past the blinds back onto him.

"What are you up to?" Wayne's hold on the Sig only tightened as he carefully circled behind Danny, checking he hadn't managed to loosen the cuffs. "Just sit still." His order was followed by a none-to-gentle slap to the back of Danny's head.

Danny's right hand wanted to rise up to rub at the sore spot, but it could only pull ineffectively on the tight cuffs. "Enough of the head smacking already," he complained.

"Enough of the moving around!" Wayne snarled back. He couldn't settle as he began pacing nervously between Danny and the door, his free hand rubbing along the barrel of the gun.

Danny watched as Wayne wavered between confident and confused. He was worried that things were only going to get worse the longer the boy went without a plan. Looking down to the slowly oozing hole in his thigh, things were already plenty bad.

The uneasy quiet was suddenly pierced by a tinny version of "The Army Goes Rolling Along" coming from Danny's pocket.

"What the hell is that?" Wayne charged to Danny's side, brutally pushing the end of the gun into his shoulder.

"Calm down," Danny wheezed, the force of the gun pushing him sideways in the chair, his shoulder aching from the forming bruise. "It's just my phone."

Using his free hand, Wayne patted down Danny's pockets. Finding the telltale lump he shoved the detective's hip until Danny rolled slightly. The detective was quick to straighten his good right leg, giving better access for Wayne to pull the phone from his pants pocket. Danny could feel the sweat bead around his hairline and upper lip, wanting nothing more than to settle back in his chair and relieve the pressure put onto his bleeding left leg.

Checking the call display before he thumbed the decline button, Wayne asked, "Who the hell is McGarrett? Why'd you give him such a lame ringtone?"

"A friend," Danny wheezed. Resting his head back onto the top of the chair, he wondered how soon before his partner's worry mounted into a request for a search party. There were black dots swirling around the edge of his vision and if he was going to be of any use in his own rescue things needed to happen sooner rather than later.

~TBC~


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N - **As school starts today, my posting schedule may change slightly. I will still post one chapter per day, I just can't guarantee when during the day.

**Chapter 9**

"Thanks, Chin," Steve sighed, his eyes drifting closed as he settled into a comfortable position. "I appreciate you coming to get me."

"No worries, Brah," Chin answered from the driver's seat of the borrowed Chevy Cruze. The reassurance from the steady rise and fall of the man's chest beside him, helped Chin to relax enough that he was able to joke, "It would look bad if the head of Five-0 passed out on the side of the road walking home from the hospital."

Steve managed to open his left eye to give Chin a half-hearted glare. The morning nurse had insisted he take one of his prescription pain killers before leaving the hospital. His arm rested comfortably in a sling, but his coordination was still a little off due to the narcotic's side effects. "One morning with Danny and you're spouting his nonsense."

Chin let out a chuffed laugh. "You know, he'd say he spends too much of his time with you

"Is that why he didn't come and pick me up?"

Chin chalked up the tough military man's child-like pout to another side effect of the pain medication. Hiding his laughter behind a calm smile, Chin replied, "Nah, the haole made a quick exit when he realized there was a lot of computer work to be done at the office. He's helping Mrs. Salvator locate an important document at her tour office."

"Danny's down at the marina?" Steve managed to perk up and take a clarifying look at the neighbourhood they were passing through.

Chin was already shaking his head, "No, Steve. We are not heading to the Salvators' office. This is not going to turn into a joke about 'how many police officers does it take..."

Steve's annoyed frown slowly turned into a sly smirk, "So you're saying the Jersey boy is okay; there's paperwork - he's in his natural habitat."

A small bump in the road jarred Steve's elbow against the center console. The vibrations ran straight to his injured shoulder and brought a quiet moan to his lips. It was probably another side effect, but he could hear a voice that sounded a lot like Danny saying 'Ain't karma a bitch?'

Chin eased to a stop at a red light and turned in his seat to give Steve his full attention. His practiced eye took in Steve's pale cheeks and eyes pinched shut. "I'm sure Danny is just fine. However, your doctor was quite clear. You are to go straight home and rest."

With a deep, steadying breath, Steve managed to open his eyes and meet Chin's gaze. "What the doctor recommended was that I eat something before I got settled in."

"You're impossible," Chin rolled his eyes. The light changed and he moved with the traffic. "What your doctor actually said is that he'd like you to try to eat something before the pain pills knocked you out. You're the one who refused the hospital meal because you were in too much of a hurry to leave."

Colour was slowly returning to his passenger's cheeks and there was a spark of interest beginning to grow in the man's eye. Chin intended to put a stop to it, "You're going straight home, doctor's orders."

Steve sat up, blinking the last of the sleep from his eyes. "Of course. That's what the doctor said." He agreed with a solemn tone. "I am a little hungry now, but I'll just heat a can of soup… I'm all out of crackers, but that's okay." The face grew pensive, "I'm sure you've got a ton of work waiting for you back at the office. I don't want to keep you from getting the filing done."

Chin knew he was being manipulated, could practically see the gears turning in Steve's brain as the man plotted how to keep himself free from what he would consider house arrest. Chin sighed, "You're pathetic. You know that, right?"

Steve grinned, "But you love me anyway."

"Does that work with Danny?" Chin wondered aloud, not really expecting a reply. The growing smirk on his passenger's face was answer enough.

With a sigh of resignation Chin could only follow directions as Steve's hand pointed to a street ahead, "If you turn right up there, you can get onto Piikoi Street. Islands Fine Burgers is over that way. Danny will be mad if we didn't call him for lunch. He loves their cheese burger. We can meet him by that park by Kamekona's."

Looking more alert than previously, Steve pulled his cell phone from his pocket and dialed his partner. The smirk from winning the battle with Chin slowly dropped away as the call continued to ring unanswered. When it finally went through to voicemail, and the mechanical voice told him to leave a message, the best Steve could do was tell his partner to call him or he would order pineapple on his burger.

~H50~

Danny really wished he could rest his head. Every time he leaned it back to rest on the top of the chair it pulled on his ribs and he started to wheeze. Resting with his chin on his chest pulled on his wrists locked behind the chair; it hadn't taken long before he could feel slow, warm trickles over the heat from where his skin had been rubbed raw from the tight cuffs.

He had already discovered that sighing out his frustrations didn't feel so good on his chest either. The best he could do was slight tilts of his head from side to side to ease the tension in his neck but it did nothing to alleviate the growing drowsiness behind his eyes.

"Detective? Danny?" he could hear Mrs. Salvator's soft voice near his left shoulder. She sounded worried. Danny didn't like it. "Danny, I need you to sit up."

He could feel his frustration grow, "I am. I'm stuck to a chair. I have no choice but to sit up." Why did his voice sound… off? Danny managed to peel his eyes open and was surprised to find Mrs. Salvator perched at his side pulling at his shoulders.

"Please, Danny. You're putting too much pressure on your leg slumped down like that. You need to sit up. I need to wrap it." The frightened look on the grandmotherly face did more to wake up Danny than all the previous pleading.

"What? I don't understand," Danny was slowly coming to realize that he had drifted off, leaving Mrs. Salvator alone with the unsettled Wayne Roesler. "Are you okay?"

His concern seemed to amuse the older woman. "You're the one bleeding, and you're worried about me?"

She sounded okay and her concern seemed to be directed at him as she helped him sit further up in his chair. Blinking until he could see the rest of the room clearly, he found Wayne watching them from his spot by the window. He wanted to believe that he was matching the boy glare for glare until a spike of pain from his leg blurred his vision and his head dropped.

"Hey, what are you doing?" That came out sounding much rougher than Danny intended.

Mrs. Salvator's hands stilled from their gentle ministrations, "Your leg is still bleeding. I need to tie this towel here, around your leg."

Danny finally noticed the folded towel pressed against his thigh and another towel torn in strips ready to be tied tight to hold everything in place.

"This will hurt."

Taking as deep a breath as his restrained limbs allowed, he couldn't help the quiet muttering that slipped out, "Of course it will."

Without any further warning, Mrs. Salvator pulled the ends of the cloth together in a knot and kept pulling until Danny could no longer hold onto the moan of pain. She quickly tied off the knot and rubbed his shoulder reassuringly.

"You happy now?" Wayne growled.

Mrs. Salvator frowned at the angry man, but then swallowed whatever comment she had at the tip of her tongue. Danny was still breathing heavily, but trying to bring it under control. The calming circles being rubbed on his shoulder helped to center his focus until finally the throbbing pain was manageable.

Storming his way over, Wayne was soon pointing Mrs. Salvator back to her seat, using the barrel of the Sig Pro as his directional arrow. "You had better be able to walk outta here," he was checking the detective over, poking at the blood encrusted pants near the newly bandaged wound.

"Leave it alone," Danny demanded before realizing what was being said. "Where we goin'?" Danny didn't think he had been out for long, but apparently it was enough time for Wayne to come up with a plan.

"You'll know soon enough."

Danny didn't like the cryptic answer but the sly smirk left him feeling even more uncomfortable.

~H50~

Chin watched as Steve slowly lowered himself into the passenger seat. Once his friend was settled Chin passed him the take-out bag with their hamburger lunch.

"You sure you're going to last?" Chin asked, his concern growing as he watched beads of sweat form along the other man's hairline. "Why don't we take this," Chin nodded towards the bag sitting at a tilt on Steve's lap, "And head back to your place?"

"What?" Steve shook himself and seemed to find his second (or more likely third or fourth) wind. Looking up to see the worry etched into the lines on Chin's face, he sighed. "It's okay, Chin. I'm fine. Really."

Knowing a lost cause when he saw one, Chin only shook his head before closing the passenger door and heading to the driver's side. Once he was buckled in, he checked one more time on his passenger. Steve's skin, while not quite the normal, healthy tan he was used to, wasn't as pale as earlier either. It was the nervous manhandling of the quiet cell phone that caused the most concern.

"Why don't you try calling him again?"

Steve raised one eyebrow as he tilted his head enough to check the face of the man beside him. Chin snorted, "This isn't a test, Steve. Call Danny and tell him we'll have lunch at your place."

Now Steve huffed a short laugh, "So it is a test. I get a chat with an annoyed man from Jersey and you get to have free reign at the office for the rest of the day."

Chin matched the smile aimed at him as he reached over to steady the phone in Steve's hand. "You passed. Now if you can survive the rant I'm sure the man saved up just for you, then you also earned yourself a warm blanket and pillow for your afternoon nap."

"Shut up," was offered without any heat behind it, as Steve punched in his partner's number.

For the second time the smile fell from his face as the call continued to ring before being answered by voicemail.

~H50~

Pulling the cop's apprehended phone from his pocket, Wayne slid the ignore button and silenced the Army theme mid stream.

"Your friend really wants to talk to you," Wayne grinned, knowing it would, at the very least, annoy the bound man. "That's too bad."

Danny sighed as he leaned back into his chair, relieving some of the stress on his arms. He really hoped that Wayne would soon learn the reasons one should never ignore calls from one Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett.

~TBC~


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"I don't like it, Chin," Steve ended the call without leaving a message on his partner's voicemail; the loud tap of his finger slamming the 'end' button only helped to vent a little of his frustration.

The quirk of a lone eyebrow betrayed Chin's concern. He reached across the front seat of the Cruze to lay a stilling hand on his boss' arm. "Steve," he started.

"No. Don't _'Steve'_ me," the Navy SEAL was clearly agitated as he pulled away from the placating gesture. He was unwilling to have the Hawaiian man's peaceful nature soothe him. His current mood was quickly burning off the lethargic state from the pain medication. "Something's up. I don't like this," his volume increased with his rising worries; the hard look on his face dared Chin to disagree.

Chin, for his part, only sighed at the dramatics. "I was going to say - we should call Kono, see if she's heard from Danny."

"Oh," Steve's anger left just as quickly as it had arrived. He was nodding his head slowly at the suggestion. "That's actually a good idea." He hoped his nod would convey the thanks he felt because voicing them could, potentially, leave both men feeling awkward.

"How about I make that call?" Chin pulled out his phone from a pocket.

Steve was sure the other man had noticed the slight tremble in his hands and was just being helpful without mentioning his concerns.

"You are in need of some lunch, so don't wait for the rest of us." Chin nodded at the paper bag holding burgers and fries.

So much for not mentioning his concerns. Steve thought about arguing but Chin held his fingers over the touch screen of his phone, waiting. With a resigned sigh Steve shoved his free hand into the bag on his lap. His hand paused midway to his mouth, several French fries sticking out from between his fingers. He gave a pointed look to the silent phone in Chin's hands. With a wry grin, Chin made a clear gesture of pushing the speed dial button for his cousin.

Waiting for the call to connect, Chin had time to comment, "I thought those were Danny's fries?"

Steve managed a crooked smile with his mouth full as he took a second helping of the tasty, but usually taboo, take-out treat. Kono's voice through the phone stopped any further discussion. Steve continued to dig into the bag and munch as he kept tabs on the conversation beside him.

It wasn't long before Chin finished the call and returned his phone to his pocket. "She hasn't heard from Danny since she asked him to look for Wayne Roesler."

"Then that's where we'll start; at the tour office."

Regardless of injury or doctor's orders, Steve was back in leader mode and Chin was quick to start the car and drive. He also didn't miss the grin Chin let slip as he rummaged through the bag and continued to munch on his partner's fries.

~H50~

"Hurry up!" Wayne yelled from his perch at the front window.

"It's okay," Danny whispered to the shaking woman behind his chair. "Take a deep breath and try again." He needed to calm Mrs. Salvator down. Her fear of Wayne Roesler and his waving gun brought out nervous energy and she was having a difficult time fitting the key into the little slot to open the cuffs around Danny's wrists.

Wayne hadn't let them in on his plan yet, but he accepted Mrs. Salvator's request to help Danny. Without help, there was little doubt the injured man could move at anything more than a snail's pace.

"Is the cop free yet?" Wayne growled.

"Getting there," Danny puffed just before he felt his left hand come free and slide out from behind the chair. He couldn't help the painful moan as the stretched muscles became his to control again.

"Leave the other cuff on," Wayne commanded causing Mrs. Salvator to jump, pulling her hands away from Danny's wrist. Danny could only scowl deeper as he realized Wayne intended to keep his hands locked.

Mrs. Salvator came to the same conclusion as she quietly pleaded, "Please, he'll need help to stand and walk."

"He'll manage."

Danny didn't like the smirk Wayne cast his way and really wanted the opportunity to wipe it off, but as pins and needles were now rushing through both arms, and neither limb was listening to any commands from Danny's brain, the likelihood of that satisfaction was closer to naught than Wayne handing over his weapon and ending this now.

"I'm sorry, Detective," Mrs. Salvator whispered as she gently placed the open cuff back around his free wrist. Both hands now sat cuffed in his lap.

"It's Danny, remember?" he offered her full forgiveness with one of the smiles that Rachel used to refer to as _charming_.

She placed a comforting hand on one cheek as she gave a grateful peck to the other. "Come on, Danny. It looks like we're going for a walk." She grabbed his right bicep and lifted as he did his best to push out of the chair.

He closed his eyes as he wobbled unsteadily on his feet. A few deep breaths helped with the rising nausea until his blood pressure equalled out and his wounded leg found a balance with his stronger right one.

"So what's the plan here?" Danny managed to ask while keeping his arms still in front of him; he did realize that his balance was precarious at best and falling on his face wouldn't help his cause any. Mrs. Salvator was curious too as they both waited for Wayne to answer.

"We're going to borrow that nice little cabin cruiser there, and go for a bit of a ride."

Danny couldn't see out the slightly lifted blinds to where Wayne pointed with the end of the Sig, but he assumed the boat in question was a short distance away. Those in front of the Salvators' office were commercial boats; personal pleasure crafts were housed at docks further down the boardwalk.

"That seems a little risky. Is that your best plan?" Danny didn't like being a hostage, but he wavered between having more escape options and involving innocent bystanders in the potential gun fire. "You don't think we'll draw attention?" He rattled the cuffs on his wrists as he indicated the towel bandage on his thigh.

Wayne's forehead crinkled as he eyed Danny from top to bottom. Danny knew he was being assessed and hoped he came off looking worse than he actually felt. He knew how to capitalize on being underestimated, but this time he worried there wasn't much difference.

"We'll just hide those cuffs and there doesn't seem to be too much blood showing through that wrapping," Wayne seemed content to continue with his plan. "What have you got around here to cover his hands?"

Mrs. Salvator didn't like having the attention on her, and gave a nervous look around the office. "I keep a sweater in the closet." She pointed to a narrow door in the far corner of the room.

"Good. Get it. Those too," He motioned with his gun at the pile of orange life jackets on the closet floor. "Hurry up! Hang your sweater over his hands."

Mrs. Salvator tried to be quick to follow the orders, but her nerves were making it difficult. It took a few tries to get the light garment to hang right and keep from falling. Danny did his best to use quiet, calming words, but they became useless mutterings when Mrs. Salvator turned around and they were both faced with a grinning Wayne Roesler.

"Come on. It's time to go." Wayne had unlocked the door and gestured with a well hidden Sig in an armful of dangling life vests.

With Mrs. Salvator's hand on his arm for support, Danny managed an awkward gait towards the door. With Wayne's accepting nod of approval he realized that they appeared as a young man helping out his elder instead of the other way around.

Closing the door behind them, Wayne's gun hand pushed a life vest into Danny's back. Mrs. Salvator was quick to keep Danny upright, but Danny couldn't help the pain riddled snark, "Just so you know, me face-planting on the boardwalk…that's bad; if you really want to avoid drawing attention." He kept the _Dumbass_ remark to himself, but felt it was clearly implied.

"Just keep moving," Wayne growled. "You do anything stupid and I give you a matching hole. You got that?"

Danny got it, painfully clear. He could feel the edge of the life vest pressed into his ribs. It took little imagination to picture the barrel of the Sig behind that edge. The flotation device would do nothing against a bullet from that distance. Even if by some miracle the bullet missed him, it would still find its mark in Mrs. Salvator, pressed to his other side.

They made their way down the boardwalk at a reasonable pace and didn't draw the attention of the few other people around them. However, by the time they reached the entrance to the pleasure craft dock, Danny could feel what little energy he had left, running out. It was more of a drag of his injured leg than a walking step and his vision was almost blurry as the view spun around him. He knew he was leaning more heavily on Mrs. Salvator than when they started, but it wasn't until he stumbled against a bait pail and fell to his knees that she fully realized the extent of his condition.

Wayne turned the air blue with his muttered curses as he used his left arm to hoist Danny back to his feet. Danny felt very lopsided with the concerned support of Mrs. Salvator on one side and the angry yanking of Wayne on the other. It was hard to find his balance with the Sig Pro forcibly pushed between two of his ribs and the impatient prodding urging him down onto the dock. Wayne was quick to account for the people around them and, as none seemed to be heading in their direction, he dropped the bulky disguise of the orange vests and pushed the tip of the Sig's barrel further into Danny's skin.

"Move!"

There was little choice but for Danny to ignore the quiet sniffling at his side and add a little more weight onto the arm of the frightened Mrs. Salvator. The dock rocked gently in time to the ebb and flow of the water below, but to Danny it was a form of torture to find his balance and make his way toward the cabin cruiser near the end of the dock.

~H50~

Chin found a parking space along the boardwalk and not too far from the Salvators' tour office. Concern for his partner seemed to be giving Steve an energy boost and Chin quickened his pace to keep up with the injured man. His speed picked up as they passed the dark office of Terashima's tour business. The yellow police tape quietly waved them on as they rushed by.

"Steve, will you at least wait for me?" Chin jogged the few steps needed to come abreast of his boss.

Steve didn't slow down, but he did at least check to make sure Chin was now traveling along beside him. "There's the office, the blinds are all closed. I didn't see the Camaro. Do you think Danny's already moved on?"

"Hey," Chin's hand on his arm slowed him down enough that Chin was able to step in front and bring them both to a standstill. "We don't even know if anything's wrong. We'll check out the tour office and if it's locked tight we'll take a quick look around for the car. Maybe we'll find Danny in one of the nearby coffee shops. Could be he's just talking to people, trying to track down this Wayne Roesler guy."

Steve could tell by the worried look on the Hawaiian's face that Chin believed in that possibility about as much as Steve did; but he was right. They needed a plan and a clear head. Taking a deep breath and putting away the worry he felt for his partner, Steve felt a sense of calm. He tugged at the edge of the sling, providing a bit of comfort to his arm with the extra weight it was holding. He had tried to remove the piece of fabric before he left the vehicle, but Chin had insisted the sling stayed if he was coming along. As he was forced to wear the thing, it would at least serve a purpose and hide the Smith & Wesson he borrowed from Chin's collection in the back of the Cruze.

With a sense of caution they approached the Salvators' tour office. Steve tried to peek through the windows but the closed blinds offered no clear view. Chin stepped up to the front door and the knob rattled in his hands, locked.

Steve could see Chin preparing to offer another explanation, but before he could voice it, they were both distracted by a bang and commotion from further down the boardwalk. There was light foot traffic and it was easy to home in on the noise from a metal pail rolling along the walkway. It looked like someone had tripped over the small obstruction and two people were now helping him up. Steve was about to turn away, back to discussing the possibilities for locating Danny, when a breeze blew in from the water. The warm wind ruffled the light coloured hair of the downed man, but it also brought into view a flapping piece of fabric, knotted around the man's neck.

"Danny!"

Chin was at his side as they rushed towards the small group now entering the docks for private pleasure craft.

~TBC~


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Danny knew there was a rhythm to the water's movement. He could see the pattern. A wave came in and the bubbles went out; the dock floated up and the dock sank down. It was an aquatic dance as old as time. It was a motion that brought out the giggles in small children, for crying out loud. Yet Danny would be damned if he could get his legs to cooperate and keep in time.

He looked over to Mrs. Salvator who was holding him firmly by the left bicep. He couldn't catch her eye, her gaze focused downwards. Other than his stumbling feet on each rising swell, he didn't know what there was to watch so intently.

The old lady finally looked up, with a quick look towards their destination she let out a quiet hum. "It'll be alright." Mrs Salvator's hand was warm as it made soothing circles on his fore arm. "I'll fix it once we sit down."

Trying to contain a moan, Danny only managed a quiet grunt for a reply.

They were being herded along by angry words and the occasional prodding of the gun to Danny's ribs. They weren't allowed to stop, but Danny knew his wobbling gait was setting the pace. The dock ahead of them seemed empty so they were unlikely to get any Good Samaritan help from innocent bystanders.

The soft murmur at his side caught his attention. Mrs. Salvator was talking to him but he only heard the tail end of her whisper, "…I'll fix it."

Bless the old lady's heart if she thought she had any part of their predicament under control. He would like to offer a few reassuring pats to the hand holding tight to his upper arm, but the handcuffs made that impossible.

"It's bleeding again, but it doesn't look like much."

"What?" He moved his head enough to catch sight of Mrs Salvator's lips, hoping she would repeat herself and maybe he could figure out what she was saying.

Concerned brown eyes drew his attention. "The towel has come loose. Your leg is bleeding again."

"Oh." Danny looked back to his thigh. There was more red showing through and with every step the towel peeled away from his skin, pulling on the dried blood and allowing more red to ooze out. That explained the agonizing spikes from that area of his body.

There was a swishing of water from below and the dock seemed to jump under Danny's slow moving feet. It took all of his concentration to stay upright and not fall onto the kind lady still doing her best to hold him up. He was, however, unable to contain a keening moan from rushing passed his lips. Before he could blink back the tears, there was a painful, vice-like grip on the other arm and Danny now felt himself being propelled along the wooden planks.

"Move!" The word thundered into his ear. They made it a few harried steps before another voice was ordering them to stop.

Danny really wanted to complain – loudly and in great detail – about the manhandling as he was spun and bodily grabbed from behind. He could hear wild panting in his ear and a hairy arm was pushed under his chin. Now if only his vision would clear enough so he could see what was going on. He kept blinking, hoping to push back the encroaching grey fog that distorted anything more than a foot or two away.

"Stay back!" Wayne yelled.

The shouting and shoving was becoming too much. Danny couldn't even take a deep breath to calm the rising nausea. If he broke his 14 year streak because of this stupid kid he was going to make sure he aimed for one of Wayne's shoes.

More yelling and Danny was dragged along as Wayne increased the strength of his hold as he stepped back. He could hear loud voices but couldn't discern one from another. Danny wanted to check on Mrs. Salvator but there was a darkening cloud across his eyes. Getting air past the tight hold on his throat was quickly becoming his biggest problem. He pulled ineffectually at the arm around his neck with his cuffed hands

After several minutes the pulling stopped. He was no longer being dragged backwards along the dock. There was a new pressing pain to his headache, but it rated less than the agonizing spike from his leg when he was being dragged, so he counted that as a win. The arm was still wrapped around his throat, but without the pressure of being pulled along, he could breathe easier. The black dots cleared to the edge of his vision and the relief almost made Danny smile.

The improved vision gave Danny the chance to look around as he tried to figure out his new predicament. There were Steve and Chin, arms steady with weapons pointed right at him. Well, not him, but the owner of the arm still holding him by the throat. He'd been pulled out of Mrs. Salvator's helpful grip and she was left behind when he was head-locked and dragged away. She was a good several meters away and if she stayed quiet and dropped down onto the bouncing dock, she might just stay out of the line of fire. So why was she still upright and stepping closer with her hands outstretched?

The loud voices were confusing his already scattered thoughts. Danny was just so tired of it; he was ready to drop on the very spot where he stood but he knew he had to wait until Mrs. Salvator was safe. She was still following in his wake like a lost puppy. He tried to tell her to stop but the arm around his throat tightened when he tried to speak. He loosened his hands from their grip on the wrist at his neck and held them out to her, begging her to stop following.

The yelling in his ear became more incensed and suddenly a gun flashed through his view. The arm was no longer pressed as hard across his throat and the angry yelling became guttural bellowing. Mrs. Salvator had finally stopped in her tracks, but the look of utter terror on her face was like a physical punch to Danny's gut. He had to help her. Gathering his waning energy, working out the necessary moves to make his hopefully-not-final act of protecting the innocent, Danny twisted his torso and gained access to the body behind him. He drove his elbow as hard as he could into the unprotected ribcage and then using his shoulders he shoved back to push Wayne further off kilter. With his neck finally free of arms, Danny leaped at the older woman, his cuffed arms lifting high enough so he could wrap them around Mrs Salvator's shoulders. He had just enough momentum to pull her down, over the side of the dock and into the safety of the water.

~H50~

Chin couldn't believe his eyes. He and Steve had arrived at the tour office just in time to see Danny whisked away down a dock for expensive looking pleasure craft. He heard Steve call out his partner's name then the ex-SEAL was racing toward the dock as fast as his pain medicated body would allow.

With a grin and a shake of his head, Chin began to understand some of Danny's complaints and would permit the man a bit more freedom in his tirades, as it took some actual effort to keep up with his boss. And this was the man still recovering from surgery and on medication.

With an extra burst he managed to reach the entrance to the dock at the same time as Steve. He could see Danny and his small group about halfway down the 80m dock. From this distance Chin recognized Mrs. Salvator's small frame, and from the description of build and hair color, he felt certain they had found Wayne Roesler.

"What's the plan?" Chin asked.

Steve grinned, "We go ask Danny why he's not answering his phone."

"Shit," was all there was time to reply before Chin had to break into a sprint to catch up once more with Steve.

Their combined weight running along the dock sent warning shock waves along the wooden planks. They hadn't gotten far when the Roesler kid looked over his shoulder, grabbed Danny and started pushing the detective faster along the dock with Mrs. Salvator being pulled along in their wake.

It was then that Chin noticed Danny's odd limp and that Mrs. Salvator wasn't being pulled so much as she was pushing Danny's other side to stay upright and keep moving. Even from the distance, the contrast of the rust coloured rag tied around Danny's thigh was easy to see. Chin was starting to guess at the reasons Danny had been unreachable throughout the morning.

"Steve," Chin wanted to point out the likelihood of trouble, but the Navy SEAL recognized the same signs. Chin brought his Sig-Sauer out and pointed it down the dock.

"Stop!"

Steve's shout only stopped the other group for a brief moment. Before either officer could bring the situation to a close, Wayne Roesler spun Danny around and was using him as a shield. So savagely was Danny pulled from Mrs. Salvator's grip that she was still stumbling along after them as Wayne back-pedalled further along the dock.

"Stay back!" Wayne yelled.

Neither Steve nor Chin were about to holster their weapons. Even with one arm in a sling, Steve managed a steady hold of the Smith and Wesson. They both continued a slow walk, edging further apart; each waiting for a clear shot to end the stand-off.

Wayne tightened his grip around Danny's throat and the detective's face changed from a pale grey to an ugly shade of red. Their friend looked absolutely awful and when his cuffed hands rose up to slap at the arm holding him, Chin really began to worry about the Jersey man's state of health.

"Stay back or I'll finish off the cop!" Wayne pressed the tip of his gun into the side of Danny's head. "I mean it!"

Steve nodded to Chin and both men slowed their pace even more, each short step forward was also a large step to the side. They kept moving, kept watching and kept inching further apart. Wayne's eyes flashing from one officer to the other; he was visibly upset with the two weapons pointed at him. He stopped moving backwards so he could take a quick look at his surroundings.

Danny finally managed to get his fingers between his neck and the arm pulling on him. He must have wedged enough space to give himself a little breathing room as his colour was showing some slight improvement.

"You!" Wayne shouted at Mrs. Salvator and the frightened woman almost jumped out of her skin. "Come here. And keep between me and them cops."

"Let her go," Steve stepped toward the older woman.

"You're just like this one," Wayne pushed the end of the gun further into Danny's temple, "Always trying something. Stop movin'!" He looked back to Mrs. Salvator. "Just keep walking this way, Mrs. S. We're gonna go for a nice little boat ride and these cops are gonna stay outta our way."

Danny's eyes grew round and Mrs. Salvator began to cry as she took tentative steps towards them. He managed a garbled "No!" before his voice was choked off once more. He was still trying to speak as he let go of the arm around him and held out his hands to ward off Mrs. Salvator's approach.

It was probably a mix of seeing his partner manhandled so viciously and the look of terror on the old lady's face that had Steve moving again. The motion drew the attention of the young man and his gun. Suddenly there was some high pitched screaming and before Chin could make a move to disarm Wayne Roesler, Danny was moving. Both Danny and Mrs. Salvator disappeared from view with a large splash.

Wayne flailed his arms, but couldn't prevent his hard crash onto the dock boards behind him. Steve rushed to immobilize the weapon while Chin was quick to flip the incensed young man onto his stomach and slap cuffs onto his wrists.

"Where are they, Chin?" Steve had his weapon trained on the restrained man, but his eyes were searching the immediate area for his lost partner.

~TBC~


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N -** I appreciate everyone's time in reading this story. I would like to thank the guests who left me reviews that I am unable to reply to - Thanks!.

**Chapter 12**

With Wayne Roesler contained, Chin rushed to Steve's side at the edge of the dock. He managed to grab hold of Steve's good arm before the Navy man toppled over and into the water.

"They'll need help, Steve, and you're not in any condition to offer it." Chin pulled Steve several steps away from the edge. He didn't mean to sound cruel, but he really didn't need a third person to rescue out of the drink.

Steve looked down at the sling on his arm and knew Chin was right. "Go," was all the encouragement Chin needed. Chin quickly shed himself of his weapon and shoes, making a quick scan he judged Danny and Mrs. Salvator to be floating ten meters away. Chin made a smooth dive into the water, coming up near Mrs. Salvator's elbow.

Mrs. Salvator was doing her best to keep them both afloat, but Danny was practically a dead weight around her shoulders, his cuffed wrists the only thing preventing the loss of his hold around the older lady.

"Help me," Mrs. Salvator begged as soon as she saw Chin's head bob up from the water.

Chin grabbed hold of Danny's shirt collar and did his best to pull the senseless man up until he could swim behind and get a better hold. Once he had an arm around Danny's chest, he lifted the weight of his arms off of the struggling Mrs. Salvator. It took a moment for both he and Mrs. Salvator to find a rhythm with legs and available arms to tread water and keep afloat.

"Can you swim? Can you make it to the dock?" Chin hoped the older woman could manage, he really didn't have any more hands to offer in help.

Mrs. Salvator gave a brief nod, "I can manage."

She didn't have a strong stroke, but was able to pull herself towards the dock. Steve was at the edge, waiting with his hand out. Mrs. Salvator grabbed on and was almost yanked out of the water. With her legs still dangling over the side, she lay back on the wooden planks, taking deep breaths and struggling to regain some sort of control for herself. "I'll be alright," she whispered between gasps. "Go help your friends."

Steve needed no second urging and was back at the edge of the dock, hand out for Chin and his load.

"Is he breathing?" Steve asked. Chin could see the Navy man mentally preparing for any necessary triage.

Danny's head was on his shoulder with his face turned into Chin's cheek. Chin could feel the soft puff of air every now and again. "Yeah, but it's not regular."

The frown on Steve's face grew, but he only stretched further, almost desperate to grab onto the unconscious man as Chin swam closer to the dock. Chin fumbled with the man in his arms, twisting so Steve could latch onto the back of Danny's shirt. Steve's fingers skirting along the broad shoulders until they attached to the soggy collar.

"Got 'im!"

"I'll push, you pull." Chin huffed, knowing it wouldn't be easy to get Danny out of the water. The blond man wasn't exactly a lightweight. He might look small, but he was very compact with muscle and what Chin thought of as Jersey attitude.

"Just hold on a sec'." Chin needed a better position to help lift his friend out of the water. As soon as he said "Ready," Steve was hoisting up and Chin was pushing from below. It was by no means graceful, but Danny landed with a squish and a loud "Oomph!"

Steve was at his side, free hand cupping the lolling head, "Danny? You there?"

Chin pulled himself free from the water and after a quick check of Mrs. Salvator, who gave a small wave that she was okay, Chin quickly crawled to Danny's other side to help Steve. Steve's good hand was busy lifting Danny's eyelids in turn so Chin starting running his hands along Danny's body looking for injuries. Finding the hole in Danny's pants, Chin could now see the raw and bleeding skin beneath. Mrs. Salvator's towel had washed away.

'He's been shot. I don't think it hit bone. Possible exit wound." Chin's fingers ran along the underside of Danny's thigh and found more ripped clothing and damaged skin. He wasn't prepared to turn Danny for confirmation while Steve was still checking for head trauma. He brought out his handcuff key to free Danny's hands and check his wrists.

"Possible concussion," Steve acknowledged. "There are a few bumps on the back of his head and his eyes aren't quite right."

Mrs. Salvator spoke softly from over Chin's shoulder, "Wayne hit him a few times; kicked him in the chest, too."

Steve growled, but let Chin open the shirt buttons to check the blond man's chest. Steve was still rubbing at Danny's cheek, trying to get him to wake up.

"Bruised, but nothing feels broken," Chin sighed. "I'm going to get the first aid bag from the car. I'll call for an ambulance and for H.P.D. to come pick up our guy over there." Chin tilted his head, indicating Wayne Roesler who was cuffed and crying that 'It wasn't supposed to happen this way.'

Mrs. Salvator shuffled closer to Danny as Chin was off, running towards their vehicle. She was just as happy as Steve to ignore the whimpering young man and focus attention on the detective. She rubbed gentle circles on Danny's shoulder and watched his face for any signs of waking.

"Come on, Danno. Enough sleeping already." Steve's hand wandered down Danny's arm to find his wrist and check the pulse. The raw skin around the pulse point made Steve glare threateningly at Wayne Roesler.

"He's a very brave young man," Mrs Salvator spoke softly, distracting Steve from his vengeful thoughts. Her fond expression as she rubbed Danny's shoulder let Steve know that his partner had charmed another Islander.

"They raise them tough in Jersey," Steve smiled, his hand brushing back up the slack arm after gently resting Danny's hand on the dock. A low moan had Danny rocking his head from side to side, Steve moved his hand to Danny's chin, holding the blond head still.

"Come on, Danny. Time to wake up." Steve's fingers gently rubbed along Danny's jaw. He felt the dock bounce and knew that Chin was almost back with the first aid kit.

"'Nuff with the head smackin' already," Danny mumbled and tried to pull his face from the pressure of Steve's grasp.

"Hey," Steve had to use a firm grip with his one hand to keep Danny's head from moving. "You gotta keep still. Your whole head is one big, bruised bump."

"Your fault," Danny's eyes slit open, just enough that Steve could see a sliver of blue.

"Hey Danny," Chin's voice was quiet as he settled at Danny's left side. "It's nice to see you awake. I'm just going to take care of your leg, okay?" Chin had the first aid kit open and the necessary supplies in reach. He began cutting Danny's pant leg just above the bullet hole.

"Aw, Chin. Man, these were my favorite work pants."

"Don't worry, Brah. You can buy more." Chin gently moved the cloth from the weeping hole in Danny's thigh and began to clean the wound.

Danny grimaced but didn't complain about the ministrations. He chose to focus on something else. He rasped, "You mean Steve is gonna buy me a new pair. It's his fault."

"Of course it is." Chin agreed, not able to hide his smile.

Steve looked between his teammates and settled on the confused face of Mrs. Salvator. "How is this my fault?"

Mrs. Salvator shrugged, but she too smiled at the play between the men. She didn't get the joke, but she could see it working as a coping mechanism for the hurt man.

"Your fault," Danny tried to nod but his face was still firmly planted in Steve's palm.

"Hey," Steve was about to remind Danny to stay still, but the downed man just rattled on.

"Your fault, Steven. You should have seen the amount of computer work all because you shot up a tour boat office."

"Hey!" Steve was about to defend himself but instead found he needed to concentrate on keeping his partner's head still. It took a lot of effort with only the use of one hand against a man who used his whole body to get his point across. When Danny started coughing and with bruised ribs and sore…well everything, he had a hard time regaining a steady breath. Steve found it easier to just sit down on the wooden dock and lift Danny's head to rest in his lap. The slight elevation helped to finally ease the coughing jag.

"Your fault, Steven."

Rather than chance another cough Steve agreed with is partner. "Okay, it's my fault. I'll buy you another pair of pants."

Danny looked to Mrs. Salvator who was now holding his hand in concern. He offered a smug smile, "You heard that? It's his fault."

Mrs. Salvator patted the hand in her grasp. "I'm sure it'll be a great new pair of pants."

Everyone looked up as they heard the rattling of Emergency Services pushing a gurney down the wooden planks. They were closely followed by several police officers. It didn't take long for the paramedics to evaluate their patient and load him onto their stretcher. It was decided that Mrs. Salvator would ride with him as she needed to be checked out by a doctor after her ordeal. Steve and Chin handed off the whimpering Wayne Roesler with the promise they'd be down to H.Q. and file a report after they checked on their friend at the hospital.

Steve walked beside Danny as he was wheeled to the waiting ambulance. Once the bed was locked into place, Steve and the paramedic helped Mrs. Salvator step into the high vehicle and get settled in the jump seat up near the head of Danny's bed.

Danny had some pain medication flowing through an I.V. and he continued to mumble happily about everything being okay now that Steve knew it was his fault.

The paramedic told Steve that the medication wasn't too strong as they had to watch for signs of concussion so Steve knew his partner was still lucid enough to hear and understand him. "That's right, Danny. I owe you some new pants. I'm thinking we should get something to match those nice trunks Kono is getting for you. Great idea, don't 'cha think?"

"What? No!" Danny looked ready to sit up on the stretcher but the paramedic was at his side pushing him down. Both he and Danny glared at Steve as he closed the rear doors to the ambulance and pounded on them once to let the driver know he was good to go.

"I don't know what that's about, but it's seemed cruel, brah." Chin laughed as he patted Steve's shoulder on his way by, heading back to their parked car.

"I'm cruel? Did you hear Danny? At all?" Steve trailed after Chin, his good arm circling the air as he walked.

~TBC~


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N - The final chapter! I just wanted to thank you all again, for reading. I hope you enjoyed the ride as much as I did. One more huge, gigantic, enormous even, Thank You to my beta JazzieG. None of this would be here without her help. From the bottom of my heart - 'the thing that Steve said to Danny just before they got out of the bombed building in episode 4.19'**

**Chapter 13**

Danny didn't require surgery, but it still took time to clean and stitch the bullet wound, clean and cover raw wrists, x-ray his chest and confirm there were no breaks just bad bruising, and ice all the bumps that covered Danny's head. The E.R. doctor even checked Danny's eardrums for damage when he heard that his patient had suffered from powerful blows to his ears. Again, Danny was lucky and his eardrums were intact, but they were red and Danny continued to hear a low buzzing. After hearing the laundry list, no one was surprised that Danny was booked into a room for observation over night. No one except Danny, that is.

"Come on, Steve," Danny wheedled. "I'm fine. I'm good to go home. Heck, I'll even go to your house, just get me out of here."

"I had to stay the night. You didn't even come get me when I was released."

"You had surgery! And you weren't released; you threatened the staff and made them let you out."

"You're on I.V. antibiotics." Steve was enjoying their banter. His partner looked much better after receiving medical treatment. He was no longer pale and his pupils had evened out. He still had a mild concussion, but his ears were bothering him more than the pain in his head. Steve was willing to bet that might change when the good drugs started to wear off.

Danny sighed, resigned to his one night stay in hospital. "I'm not going to get any sleep. Do you know how often they come around and poke at you? Asking if I know who the president is." Danny was already tired of it and the cognitive checks hadn't even started yet.

"Do you know who the president is?" nurse Beth asked. Danny's room door was left open and Steve's nurse from the other night had snuck in while the boys were chatting.

"Hey," Danny managed a lopsided grin. "Nice to see you again. Are you on this floor tonight?"

Beth nodded, "I'm covering for a friend. So it looks like you're stuck with me." She nodded in greeting at Steve. "You're looking better. Still a little rough around the edges, but better. You're remembering to take your medication?"

Danny grinned as Steve squirmed. "My day has been a bit busy, but my team is watching out for me. Chin is making sure I take my antibiotics." The last bit was directed at Danny who raised a questioning eyebrow. "It was a little late, but I took it. It counts."

"Just sit down, Mr. It-Counts. You've been running around since you left the hospital. If you fall on your face they'll tuck you back in here." Danny gestured to the visitor's chair placed up against the wall, and out of the way of medical staff.

"If you're going to stay awhile, I can bring you the chair Danny was using last night. Much more comfy than those hard plastic ones," Beth offered.

It was Steve's turn to raise an eyebrow at his partner. "I didn't see you last night."

Danny's neck and cheeks turned pink as Beth explained. "Oh, he was out in the hall. Didn't go home until you were settled and fast asleep." She turned to Danny, "You were on the phone for more than an hour. Sounded like you were still working."

"You were watching out for me?" Steve seemed pleased at the idea.

"Just making sure you didn't escape. The staff here are too busy to have to chase after your crazy ass," Danny explained with a grumpy tone, a hand waving away any sense of concern.

"You were worried about me." Steve's grin grew.

"Of course I was worried about you! You get into more trouble than a long tailed cat at a rocking chair convention." Danny realized he might sound a little crazed. He grumbled in his defence, "It's not normal."

"Thanks, you big lug." Steve turned his smile to nurse Beth. "I'd appreciate that other chair. I'll be here awhile."

Danny stifled a grin before settling back into his pillow. "Obama is the current president. Now can I get some sleep?"

Beth just laughed at all the antics and agreed Danny should rest. She would only be a minute checking his vitals. Once she was done, she followed through on her promise and had an orderly bring down the comfy chair from the surgery ward.

The next morning Steve was back waiting for Danny to be discharged. Chin and Kono were there too, having brought coffee and malasadas for breakfast.

"You've always been my favorite, Kono," Danny sighed as he reached into the Leonard's bakery box for his second pastry treat.

"I thought I was your favorite," Steve complained.

Danny shook his head in denial, but quickly stopped to rub at his forehead. It was obvious to his teammates that the move had made him dizzy and it hurt. "No, you're the crazy one. It's your fault that we're always getting into so much trouble."

"I thought we cleared that up yesterday?" Chin joked, breaking up the banter before it could really take off.

"I don't know whose fault things are between you two," Kono's pointed finger shifted between Steve and Danny, "but the Salvator's boat exploding was all Wayne Roesler."

"What was his deal anyway?" Danny wanted to know. "I get that he was after his father. The kid came to the Salvator's tour office trying to get his hands on the guest list for yesterday's tour; but are you seriously telling me that he planned on blowing up a tour boat full of people just to get at his dad?"

Chin nodded his head, "Sadly, that's exactly what his plan was. I don't think he was aware of the exact magnitude of the explosives he used, but he did understand that more than just his father would die in that explosion."

"Stupid kid," Danny muttered.

Steve was now nodding in agreement. "All that, just so he could get his inheritance?"

"His father was worth 5.2 million dollars, if you count all his illegal dealings. I guess that's enough incentive to kill more than a dozen people," Kono looked sick at the thought.

"Was Wayne to blame for his father's death on the Pali highway?" Steve asked.

Chin nodded again. "He cut the brake line on his father's car."

"So now what happens to his father's money?" Danny wanted to know.

"Terashima kept meticulous notes. Everything that the forensic accountants can connect from Roesler to Terashima's drug trade will be held as evidence in Terashima's case. After that, I don't know what happens to it. I hope it gets donated to the teens' rehab center." Kono's idea made her teammates smile. "The financial guys will determine how much money actually came from legitimate business. As Roesler was using his realty business to help Terashima with his drug business, some of the income may be up for interpretation. Whatever the outcome, his ex, Mrs. Hendrickson, won't be getting anything near that 5.2 million."

"I'm glad Terashima is finally behind bars, but poor Mrs. Salvator lost her husband because some stupid kid got greedy. It doesn't seem fair." Kono really liked the Philipino lady and was truly saddened by her loss.

"She's a tough bird. Give her some time. She'll be alright." Danny liked the older lady too.

Steve clapped his hands loudly, bringing everyone's attention away from their depressing thoughts. "This case is officially closed. Let's blow this popsicle stand. We can all meet back at my place for dinner tonight."

"That sounds great, boss," Kono had her smile back.

"You about ready to break out of here?" Steve asked Danny.

Danny wrinkled his nose in disgust, "Blow this popsicle stand? Break outta here? Are you even able to breathe without involving weapons of mass destruction and leaving mayhem in your wake?"

"That's what I have you for, Danno."

"No, you do not get to call me that." Danny's finger poked Steve in the chest. "My daughter, sweet child that she is, calls me that. You cause me bodily harm. You do not get to call me that."

"I brought you clothes," Steve pointed to the small duffle he had tossed into the visitor's chair upon his arrival.

Danny cast a wary eye on the small bag. "Where'd you get those clothes?"

"Everything came from your very own closet. I borrowed your apartment key last night. Your doctor recommended loose clothing until your leg heals."

"You borrowed my key?"

"Yes, I _borrowed_ your key." Steve reached into the front pocket of the duffle bag, pulling out Danny's key ring. "Look, I already gave it back."

"Is my Camaro key still on there?"

Steve crossed his arms over his chest, "You're not allowed to drive until your leg heals."

"That's irrelevant. It's my car."

"I'm driving you home. I'll give you the key back then."

"Home? You and Dr. What's-His-Name agreed that I'll be staying at your place!" Danny threw his arms up. "Your control issues are seriously affecting my life."

"Your doctor said you'd need help for a few days. Your balance is still off because of your ears and you've got a goofy leg. How are you supposed to change the bandages on your wrists by yourself?"

"I'll show you a goofy leg," Danny muttered. He pointed his finger at Chin's chest. "You help me into the bathroom so I can change." Chin nodded, happy to help but fighting the grin from exposing how much he enjoyed the show his friends put on.

Kono was trying to sneak out the door before she lost the fight to keep her giggles quiet. Danny's finger stopped her from her break to freedom. "You! Watch him." Danny's finger jabbed in Steve's general direction. "If any of the clothes in this bag were picked for anything other than my comfort and dignity, you will do what you have to - knock him down and take whatever he's wearing - so I can get the heck outta here!"

Chin was already moving to help Danny shuffle to the bathroom. Kono hid her grin behind the palm of her hand, but she did stand in front of Steve, allowing the impression she'd attempt to follow Danny's orders.

It took a few minutes, but when Danny emerged he was wearing his own clothes, a loose pair of sweat pants and a comfortable, cotton t-shirt.

He even managed a mostly pleasant, "Thank you, Steven."

"You're welcome, Daniel," Steve grinned. Danny looked relaxed. "What did you do, Chin? Did you force some of his medication on him already?"

"No, nothing so mundane," Danny smiled back at his partner. "With my current physical limitations, I am no longer able to meet the requirements of my offspring's social engagements. Chin has kindly agreed to cover for me." Danny's smile grew.

"What?" Steve looked utterly confused.

"I'm not able to take Gracie to her swimming party. Chin is going to stand in for me." With a gleeful look to Kono, "So now there's no need for you or my daughter to worry about my public appearance in water-wear."

"Ah, that's a bummer, Brah." Kono turned her attention to her cousin, "Do you have the proper swim wear to be seen with the youth of today?"

"What did you have in mind?"

"I've had my eye on this happenin' design." Kono slung an arm across her cousin's shoulders, leaving Steve to help Danny to make his way to the nurses' station to fill out the release forms.

From out in the hallway Danny heard Chin's calm voice, "I can work the pink." Danny was just glad it wasn't him.

Steve made a grand gesture with his good arm over the wheelchair. "Your chariot awaits."

Danny looked dubiously between his one armed chauffer and the despised mode of leaving hospital grounds. He knew he wasn't capable of walking out on his own, so there really wasn't a choice. "Where's a cab when you need one?"

"Just shut up and get in." Steve helped his friend settle into the wheelchair and with a graceful ease, delivered Danny to the nurses' station without a mishap.

Nurse Beth was there with forms in hand. She pointed to all the lines and spaces Danny needed to sign or initial. With the hospital paperwork in order she asked, "Who's in charge of filling the prescription?" She glanced over to Steve and Danny. Both men looking a little worse for wear from their injuries. Making a decision she handed the patient's prescription to Chin.

"I trust you will see this gets filled and the medication is taken on schedule."

"I'll add it to the care-giving duty I already have." Chin promised. "And I'll see you tomorrow night. Seven o'clock?"

Nurse Beth leaned in and gave Chin a quick peck on the cheek. "Sounds perfect."

Danny suddenly found some reserve energy and sat up straight in the wheelchair. "Wait. What? You're going out with Chin Ho Kelly? How did that happen?"

Even Steve looked a little confused. "We missed something."

Kono took charge of moving the wheelchair down the hall, heading towards the elevators. Chin grabbed hold of Steve's good arm and had them following close behind. Neither of the cousins stopped when they heard Beth explain, "I don't want to be the one to come between a married couple."

Steve tried to turn back but Chin held on strong. "Just keep going. You win some, you lose some. This time you lost."

"And you won. But I didn't even know you were in the game," Steve complained.

Kono laughed out loud. Chin chuckled with his cousin, and paused long enough to give a friendly wave to nurse Beth over Steve's shoulder.

"I barely stand a chance competing with Tall, Dark and Military boy there," Danny whined as he waved his hand at Steve. "Now you're telling me that I have to fight for left overs with you?" Danny tried to turn in his wheelchair so he could scowl properly at Chin and all his chiseled features. "I hate this island!'

~FIN~


End file.
